The Knicker Entrepreneur
by JustThatKindOfSpecial
Summary: <html><head></head>AU When I thought about what was going to happen that day, I wasn't thinking like it happened. Dealing with a love triangle wasn't on my list of to-do's, but finding I have to share a flat with an attractive pervert? Well, that I could do... Rated M for lemons and a tinsy bit of language</html>
1. Prologue

Prologue

"_How do I feel? Ironically, all I do is feel tired, and waking up this damn early isn't helping," the dark haired girl said to the unseen interviewer, a rueful grin on her face._

"_And what are your views on the London Underground bombings? Do you think the government should be doing more to combat the terrorist attacks?" _

_The girl frowned as she looked at the interviewer in almost disbelief. _

"_They were horrific I guess and glad that not too many people were killed unlike most disasters," the girl began, her eyebrows were creased in concentration for what she wanted to say. "And I think I speak for everyone when they say every coma is bad regardless of how you were put in it, if that makes sense? Like I'm angry, don't get me wrong, but I think I would be still this mad if it was me falling down the stairs that put me in the coma._

_As for what the government should do? I haven't the foggiest. I just happened to be in the wrong place wrong time…" _

_The girl's eyes drifted off, thinking, hoping she was somewhere else. _

_Martin had given up any pretence of eating his cereal, his spoon lying abandoned, buried in a bowl of milk and muesli. It _was_ her. _

_Jenny. _

"_And how do you feel about the amount of time that has passed? Anything you regret?" the interviewer continued regardless of the grey circles beneath the poor girl's eyes. _

"_Well, I missed all the excitement of the Scottish referendum I guess," the girl gave a small chuckle, before turning serious her almost brown eyes seeming tired, droopy, sad. "But I suppose, I miss my mum defeating the cancer, my brother getting his degree but maybe I suppose miss the change from summer to winter. You never realise it until you haven't seen it." The girl trailed off her eyes wistful and if Martin narrowed his eye enough, he could have sworn her mouth tightened in sorrow. _

_She was brought back by a definite throat clearing. _

"_And what I regret…" she hesitated, her mouth opening like she wanted to say something but her brow evened out as she resolutely manoeuvred herself into a more comfy position on the mound of pillows behind her. "What I regret is that I was a burden on my family, that I could have possibly meant the failure of my brother, my mother, but I suppose I regret never getting my maths degree. Three years and nothing to show for it," this is when the girl's mouth turned down. Bitter. _

"_Thank you," the camera turned back to the middle aged woman but Kakashi wanted desperately for it to turn back to Jenny, another glimpse, another sign that it could be _her_. "That was Jennifer Webbs, a survivor of the London Bombings, here at St. John's. Back to you in the studio," _

_Then they turned to the meaningful turnip competition in a nearby county which Martin quickly tuned out of. _

_What did this mean? _


	2. Always Happens to Me

Always Happens to Me

It always does happen to me, and it just so happened to choose to occur when I was running late to my final maths exam.

_Sprinting… I had to get there… so out of breath… heart was raging in my chest begging me to stop… hunting desperately for my purse…. Where is it? WHERE IS IT?!... phew, come on get to the barriers, please don't let the trains be late… come on, come on! _

Then I just couldn't believe it happened.

_Lights blinding, ears ringing, where am I?... god, it hurts so much… ow… screams, I could hear screams… my body so light… lifted… agony!... I opened my mouth to scream… white light… then purple,_

_Sinking,_

_Down,_

_To,_

_Me, _

_I was sucked up into this raging purple_ _vortex. I couldn't tell from up or down, left or right. To be honest the only thing I knew for certain was…_

_THUMP._

I groaned, the impact of landing on the hard ground, my spine screamed.

"Nghhh," I moaned, lifting a heavy hand from the dirt below my fingernails to bring them to cup my forehead.

I froze when I heard voices.

"…was that?" a loud voice asked, distinctly male.

"Well considering we are walking towards it, dobe, it means we don't know either," another male, annoyance was obvious in his deep condescending voice.

"Yeah Naruto!" a high pitched voice chipped in and I assume she was siding with the guy who was against this Naruto.

"For ninja you are awfully loud when you are sneaking to investigate something," a bored man's voice rumbled.

"Ah Kakashi-sensei, no bad nin here in Konoha, and anyway as the next Hokage-" Naruto's voice was cut off by an equally loud thump followed by a cry of pain and a sigh from someone else.

"AHHHH! SAKURA NOT SO HARD!"

I couldn't decide whether I should run away but when I tried to lever myself up to hide with my hands, my arms crumbled beneath me and I flopped back onto the ground. I groaned again, both the throbbing in my brain and the agony racing itself all over my body in competition to see which would hurt more.

I quietened trying to listen for the voices again.

I heard a snort. "Dobe."

A snarl, "don't call me a dobe, teme!"

"Naruto, I think we have more things to be concerned with like that girl lying in the middle of the training ground," the mild voice came out.

I flinched but pretended like I was getting up which actually, at the time wasn't so hard to do since my arms were as weak as jelly. I tried to prop myself up by the elbows, but the nausea was too great and I flopped onto my side gagging.

"Are you okay?!" Naruto yelled, and I heard the padding of feet on the ground signifying the sound of him running closer to me.

There was another muffled thump and a cry of "Sakura!"

"She's injured, moron, she could have a head injury and your yelling isn't making it any better." Sakura snarled.

I tried to focus on the argument but frankly, I barely managed to prop myself on my elbow but then vomited so hard it brought tears to my eyes.

I whimpered as I felt my shaking arms about to give way, leaving me to lie in my sick when a hard arm encircled my waist to drag me gently away. At the contact, it was like everything was in sharper focus, the sharp smell of my sick in addition to the smell of pine trees and next to me, strawberries. But the most noticeable was the scent of spearmint and tea tree. The dirt under my hands seemed to become more defined as it scrabbled against my skin. It was like I finally fit in my skin.

I frowned in confusion but shook it off.

"Thanks," I sighed as they lay me back down, the loss of contact was like I had lost everything from its high definition, it had become muted.

Not once did I think it would be a good idea to open my eyes and look at my attackers-slash-saviours.

It was only when I felt light hands on my stomach did I think to open my eyes, I strained to sit upwards again but my stomach rolled. I quickly pitched myself to the side as I retched. I closed my eyes again, sensing this was one of the reasons why I was throwing up.

"I couldn't feel anything, my chakra couldn't penetrate hers," I heard Sakura murmur to someone, "Maybe we should take her to the hospital?"

"Hn," someone thought to helpfully put in.

"Sorry," I mumbled, trying to put my hand out for them to shake, "I'll clean that," I gestured wildly to where my sick lay, "up later. I'm Jenny by the way."

Silence greeted my statement and I lowered my arm as no one reached to shake my hand, I didn't want to open my eyes in case it brought on another bout of nausea.

"Is she drunk?" Naruto whispered to someone.

"I wish," I grumbled.

I haltingly opened my eyes to see the sun blaring in my face. I hissed, flinching back into the dirt, feeling the scrape of dirt into the bare skin of my back. Wait… _bare skin of my back?_

I ran my hands all over my body and sure enough, I couldn't feel a _stitch_ of clothing.

I gasped and rolled my body away coiling my body into a ball, pressing my chest into the ground while cupping my breasts with my hands, hiding myself from sight.

I heard a groan and Sakura raged, "Seriously?! Nose bleeds?!" There was one thump with a classic cry of pain from Naruto and then a muffled thud like Sakura tried to hit someone else but… got her wrist caught?

"Careful Sakura," the nonplussed voice warned.

There was a shocked silence and I was so tempted to roll back over to see what was happening but when it came to my moral decency and my curiosity… well, to put in frankly, I was going to cover up as soon as possible.

"You looked at her, Kakashi!" Sakura hissed, a little bit of hurt coming between her words.

"That tends to happen when investigating to see if she has any injuries or if she is a rogue nin," Kakashi reasoned. "Maybe we should discuss this after we get this woman to a hospital?"

I coughed to get their attention and immediately, even though my eyelids were tightly closed as well as facing the ground, I could tell they were watching me.

"Um, the hospital sounds good but, uh, could I borrow something to cover up? Maybe?" I asked.

There was a brief moment of silence before-

"Well teme can't do it because of the fangirls, Kakashi? Oh wait, you still hide your face and Sakura," Naruto continued on hurriedly after pausing as if under threat, "Obviously can't do it because she's a girl."

"Sorry Naruto," Kakashi said, "it has to be done."

I heard a rustle of clothing and then a tentative tap on my shoulder, "uh here you go." Naruto coughed nervously as he dropped what must be a t-shirt on my shoulder since I wouldn't take my hands from my chest even though my breasts would be hidden by the ground.

"Well, turn around!" Sakura ordered and inside I was grateful. There was a pause. "Even you Uchiha!"

"Hn."

There was a satisfied noise from Sakura and I felt an arm prop me up.

"Do you need my help putting on the shirt?" she asked kindly. Slowly I opened my eyes and saw bubblegum pink hair.

"Holy shit, your hair is wicked!" I said, wanting to reach out and touch it.

Sakura had a high forehead and green eyes which narrowed in annoyance, "Do you want my help or not?" she snapped.

I recoiled, instantly cowering into her arm and gave a little shake of my head as she thrust a garish orange shirt into my hands.

I pulled the hole over my head and felt instantly dizzy even though I did practically nothing. I whimpered again, trying to support myself without the pinkette's help.

Sakura offered her arm again, but I tried to ignore it as I pushed myself to my knees, but a lock of blue hair fell in front of my face and in annoyance I pushed it back behind my ear. I paused as I rethought that thought. _BLUE HAIR?_

I scrabbled to pull that lock back and sure enough it was as blue as a kingfisher's feather and it was attached to my head.

I gaped at it while I heard an impatient huff beside me. "Is there anything wrong?"

I swallowed and tore my eyes away from my hair for a moment to look into irritated green eyes, "yeah, my hair is blue." I said turning my attention back to my hair where a bigger clump had fallen into my eyes and together it was the shade of a peacock's plume.

"Holy shit," I breathed.

I felt another figure drop beside me and I flinched into Sakura against my better judgement.

"Do you want to walk?" the mild voice asked beside me. I peered up through my lashes and in an instant I couldn't look away.

Grey hair wildly mussed like an incurable case of sex hair, he had this weird kind of eye patch that reminded me of a roguish pirate had they not been discussing being ninja. But what drew me in was the black mask covering his lower face and his dark grey eye was crinkled in what I could assume a smile.

I tentatively quirked the corners of my mouth and dumbly nodded as he reached out to grasp my hand to help me up, he was roughly shoved out of the way by Sakura who glared at him before offering her own hand.

Not wanting to be rude so I clasped my hands on hers and pulled my shaky knees under me against my better judgement.

Just as I was about to pitch forward again, a familiar hard forearm caught me about the waist. At the point of contact it was like a rushing wave crashing inside my body, the now familiar sharpening of the world around me. As I fell into the arm my other hand that wasn't trapped against a bulky green vest, automatically grabbed a muscled bicep for support.

I allowed my head to flop onto the bumpy chest too as I became woozy and it was like the rush of the five senses became stronger. I could see the exact colour of green and the threads woven on his vest, I could smell a masculine scent with a mixture of spearmint and tea tree flooding up my nostrils. The roiling of my stomach, the block headed feeling in my scalp, the pins and needles in my feet.

I sighed in bliss, while the owner's other arm encased my waist to stop me from falling backwards.

"Maybe I should just carry you?" Kakashi offered, and I felt myself nodding into the rough fabric where faintly I felt his voice rumbling through my entire being.

The arm around my waist tightened and supported me as another captured my knees together securely.

"I'll meet you guys at the hospital so we can report to the Hokage," Kakashi's mellow voice willing me to sleep.

I closed my eyes so I didn't see their answers.

Although my senses were strong I felt mentally drained so it was easy to fall asleep even though the rocking motion made me feel nauseous again.

…o0o…

"Hokage?" a voice called to Tsunade, she turned from her view out of the window to look at the team in front of her. "What should we do?"

She sighed, rubbing a hand over her face tiredly. Where did this girl come from? That was a good question. How did she leave a crater in the ground and have no visible body damage? Another good question.

However the thing that worried Tsunade the most was: how did this girl, undoubtedly a civilian keep up her chakra as a body shield even in unconscious? Or better yet, able to resist any kind of healing touch because of this?

"Kakashi?" she turned her gaze to the pervert, slouching near the window, classically reading his orange covered book.

"Hmmm?" he responded, snapping his book closed as he turned his droopy eye gaze to his Hokage.

"You have room in your flat don't you?"

Kakashi paused and hesitantly nodded before continuing, "But what does this have to do with the girl?"

"Well," Tsunade paused, "You are going to house her until I figure out a way to deal with her. I will find a C class mission for you to go on and if she shows signs of ninja, I'll send her to ANBU to deal with. If not," she shrugged, "just means we have to find a little bit more room for our new citizen."

Kakashi wagged his head. "But why does it have to be in my flat? Why not a nearby inn?"

Tsunade mirrored his actions, "she is a girl Kakashi and while I'm immune to Sasuke's charm myself, others do not have this ability, we can't risk her being another fangirl. I think in all honesty, it would be a danger to the poor girl herself if she was put against Sasuke's wrath," she gave a wry smile, "Naruto _was_ Jiraiya's student, so probably his perversion has rubbed off on Naruto,"

The Hokage continued despite Naruto's protested "Hey!"

"While Sakura is an incredible med nin, it means she won't be around often to keep tabs on 'Jenny' (if that is even her real name). Then I'm afraid, I doubt the council would be willing to fund the housing of a possible missing nin, and a powerful one at that not to mention the prices of the inns have increased too much to afford it. Therefore, you are the most logical option."

Kakashi's grey brow had risen higher and higher throughout her reasoning until now it was in his unruly hairline. Kakashi opened his mouth to protest but the big breasted woman cut him off.

"This is not up for negotiation, Kakashi," Tsunade's voice hardened.

Kakashi closed his mouth with a snap and with an indifferent shrug he answered, "Yes… Hokage-sama."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest but her shishou cut her off. "You, Sakura, are to get her clothes in which to stay at Kakashi's."

Sakura hesitated for a fraction before squaring her shoulders, "Yes, shishou."

Tsunade nodded in satisfaction, "alright, dismissed."

…o0o…

The next time I woke, it was because the sunlight was in my eyes. I winced and covered my face with my hand, the momentary darkness a relief.

Preparing myself I squinted and saw it was sunset so, obviously, the end of the day. Pushing myself forward, the expected roil of nausea was actually non-existent. Happy I swung my legs over to get the hell out of there.

It wasn't that I wasn't thankful to who ever made me feel better, that wasn't it at all. It was because, in my obvious delirium, that I forgot my fear of hospitals. Sure when they're curing me, they are my best friends but when healthy… let's just say we agreed that time apart was needed.

Taking inventory of what I had which basically wasn't a whole lot, just my hospital gown which didn't cover my butt, I looked for my escape routes. Well the door was an obvious one, however there will be people present who would get a glimpse of my bare backside as I fled the hospital as well as employees who I didn't know whether they would demand payment for health care. I know some countries they demand you pay for making you healthy while England they pay it for you.

The window obviously was the only other choice and tip toeing across the floor, being stealthy and all, I peered out the transparent panes. My heart sank. I didn't exactly have a parachute and I wasn't feeling like I want to be a pancake on the pavement so that left me with the door.

Just as I was turning away to observe my new option, Kakashi and Sakura walked in. I tensed.

Sakura smiled, "well you are looking better," she complimented.

I gave a tight smile and a nod of greeting before eyeing the window beside me.

"The window option is out I'm afraid," Kakashi smiled, his eye twinkled in humour.

I rolled my eyes, "no shit Sherlock."

Kakashi's eyebrow lowered over the jet coloured eye in confusion, "I'm not Sherlock. I am Hatake Kakashi and this is Haruno Sakura."

I cocked my head to the side, "I know that."

"Then why did you call him Sherlock?" Sakura asked, her head also cocked to the side.

I sighed and shook my head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter, all I need to know is: can I leave?"

Kakashi chuckled.

"Phobia of hospitals?" Sakura asked, curious.

"_Can I leave?_"

Sakura shook her head in amusement, "yes you can leave," she said, her pink tresses trailing along her cheeks, "you sound so much like other ninja, so reluctant to go to the hospital."

I felt my shoulders lose their tension in relief. "Okay, good, ummmm," I looked down at my clothes or lack of clothes I should say, "Is there some clothes from lost property that I could maybe borrow?"

I tugged at the now short hem of my hospital gown. While I was relatively short to Kakashi, five foot eight is pretty tall for women so they must have had midgets in mind when they designed those stupid gowns because it felt like it barely covered anything.

I felt his gaze and I determinedly tried not to look at him, because I knew if I did I would blush.

"Oh!" Sakura exclaimed and reddened as she realised my attire, "sorry I forgot you were naked when we found you!"

I flinched and toed the bare ground with my big toe while probably glowing like a neon red sign. The room was quiet for a minute, the awkwardness was slowly eating me and I began to fidget while it seemed Sakura and Kakashi just stared at me.

"Sakura," Kakashi interjected, "maybe you should go get that box for our guest?"

Sakura jumped in surprise, very alike jumping a skipping rope. "Oh yes of course," she said while hurrying out of the room.

I looked up gratefully to see Kakashi sticking his hands in his pockets.

"So where are you from?" he asked after a brief moment of silence.

"I-" I hesitated. As far as I knew, this wasn't from my time. If I was truly honest, I thought I was in the manga Naruto. I had only seen glimpses because of my friend Rin but I was never into it, I tried one and then I got bored. I decided to play amnesia. "I don't really know."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow as he said flatly, "really."

I was saved from having to answer anything else when Sakura came through the door, carrying a wooden crate and a pair of white plimsolls in the other hand.

"This is all the lost property has, sorry if it's not your size or anything, but we are going to buy you some clothes tomorrow so don't worry." Sakura placed the crate at my feet and then waved the plimsolls in the air, "these are one size, fits all kind of thing and again, don't worry we aren't going to force you to wear them outside the hospital, we're getting you new shoes as well."

"I can also lend you some sleeping clothes if you need," Kakashi chipped in.

I nodded and began to rummage through the box, most was things like bags or make up but there was a couple of tops, one a tasteless yellow t-shirt or grey long sleeved. Horror dawned on me, sleeved. I forgot to cover my arms when I woke up.

Abandoning my hunt I scanned my arms for their scars only to find that they were as flawless as before the accident. Gaping I ran a finger up and down the now smooth skin, no longer bumpy with scar tissue.

"Are you… okay?" Sakura's voice asked uncertainly, her voice popping my awed bubble. I nodded frantically, in my elation I forgot that there were other people in the room too.

I still chose the long sleeved one because with my new hair, I think that the yellow would clash. There was only some baggy drawstring trackies left which I tugged over my hips under the hospital to maintain my decency.

I blushed when it looked like they were going to watch me change. I turned my back on them and undid the tie at the back and let it fall to the floor as I quickly tugged the top over my head, flipping my hair out from the neck.

Another thing I had noticed about my hair was how long it was. It was usually between my waist and shoulders, but this blue copper sulphide coloured mess went all the way to my hips much to my annoyance.

As I turned back around, I pulled the sleeves over my wrists, a nervous habit of mine. "Do you have any hairbands that I could borrow?" I nudged my nose with a knuckle. Another nervous habit.

Sakura simply slid two off her wrist and handed them to me.

Thanking her I began to tie my hair into two ponytails, both high on the sides of my head. After finishing, I caught both of them staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

Kakashi shook himself out first and offered me his hand to formally shake.

"I'm your new roommate."

Stunned, I looked between Sakura and Kakashi, hoping that this was some kind of joke. I saw Sakura's unhappy face and I looked to Kakashi's strangely indifferent one.

"Huh?" I said stupidly.

"You are going to be staying with me for the duration of your stay here in Konoha." Kakashi stated.

"No offence but couldn't I stay with someone else? Preferably female?" I looked to Sakura hopefully.

She shook her head sadly and my heart clenched.

"I can't I don't have, um, enough room in my flat." Sakura stuttered out lamely.

I narrowed my eyes at the waver in her statement but let it go.

"Fine," I grumbled, "Lead the way roommate."

Kakashi gave another grin and led me through the busy hallways, me following behind him and Sakura.

While I may not be the most observant woman out there, the fact was I saw the way that their fingers brushed while walking, the little glances Sakura sent upwards. However maybe it would've been unrequited as I could see Kakashi had a book to read while walking, but I was proven wrong as I could see the way the tips of his fingers curled that little bit closer to her own the moment they brushed. The tilting of his head to signal that he was listening closely to what she had to say proved he wasn't reading his book at all.

It was cute the way they hid it. The way that they would dart further away from each other when someone would come too close, the way that the shot back together like magnets when someone walked between them when they were forced apart.

Her giggles, his deep chuckles. Her wringing of her hands, his rubs on the back of his head.

Luckily we were out of the hospital before long and were walking in the humid heat towards what I could assume Kakashi's home.

I continued to stroll behind them, trying not to eavesdrop but with nothing to do I was bored.

"…it will only be a couple of days, so before long she'll either be staying with you until she earns her keep or," Sakura lowers her voice further, "or she'll be their problem."

Their? Whose they? And why is she reassuring him?

Realisation dawned on me: I was cock blocking Kakashi.

"That isn't the problem Sakura," Kakashi whispered, "the problem is you shouldn't be walking this late at night from your night shifts at the hospital all the way home. The reason you were sleeping at my flat was because you promised you wouldn't make these risky decisions."

Okay, so not cock blocking so much as Kakashi was worried for her well being. Awh.

But just like that it looked like shit had hit the fan.

"I can take care of myself Kakashi-_sensei_," Sakura snarled, whipping her arm away from his grasp when he tried to grab it. I saw the way he flinched when she used the honorific.

I looked to the ground, awkward, feeling like a child watching the parents fight.

"I am a kunoichi, any muggers have to be scared of _me_. I'll be fine, _Sasuke_ allows me my own house on the compound so I can just stay there."

Kakashi recoiled like he had been slapped.

"Well, then go back to Sasuke and enjoy the house of his dead relatives. I'm sure you love that kind of thing."

Now Sakura flinched back.

I winced. It was painful to listen to and watch. I quickly made myself known.

"So where is your flat Kakashi?" I asked as I rapidly pushed myself between them.

"I'm sorry Jenny-chan but I'm not exactly feeling well, I'll come pick you up tomorrow at Kakashi's flat to take you shopping," Sakura said flatly, glaring at Kakashi who just glared right on back.

"Oh okay," I gave a little wave that was ignored by the pinkette as she stomped away. The dying sunlight making her hair a hot pink hue.

I caught Kakashi staring after her, a slump sat on his already slouched shoulders.

There was a tense moment of silence before Kakashi seemed to shake himself out of it and turned to me cheerily.

"Why don't we go get something to drink? What better way to celebrate our new partnership as roommates?" Kakashi said, his eye crinkling so much I was afraid he had gone blind.

I nodded cautiously.

"Good," he clapped his hands together, "sorry we are going to be drinking at my place," he shrugged, "What can I say? I'm a cheap skate."

I laughed as the awkwardness eased.

"So how old are you Jenny-chan?" Kakashi asked placing that orange book in his pouch and dug his hands into his pockets. "I kind of feel like a paedophile with a pretty young thing staying with an old man like myself."

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "You don't look that old, about early thirties? So that would be a decade between us at most. I'm twenty three."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow in surprise. "Twenty three? No, more like twenty. I'm sure you still get carded at your local liquor store?"

I gave a nervous laugh, thinking that I was a regular in the local ASDA so much so that they don't bother carding me much anymore. "I wish."

Kakashi shook his head slowly, "Shame on them Jenny-chan. Shame on them."

"Please, just Jenny." I said, looking down at the pavement uneasily.

It wasn't that I wasn't used to comments about being pretty. That wasn't it at all. I wasn't exactly one of those insecure girls, but being given a compliment so earnestly made my blood vessels in my cheeks open until I was flushing.

"Alright just Jenny," Kakashi gave me another eye crinkle so I could see his crow's feet, that I almost forgot that he had an argument with his lady love barely five minutes before. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

I shrugged, my good mood instantly evaporating. "One brother. Sister. Once."

Kakashi examined me closely for a moment. "You seem pretty confident about your answers enough that it seems strange that you can't remember where you live." Kakashi gave a roll of his shoulders like they were stiff. "Pretty selective amnesia, isn't it?"

"It wasn't like I can't remember where I lived," I stuttered, "I just remember uh moving from field to field so much that I couldn't tell you. It just blurs together."

Kakashi hmmm-ed so I didn't know if I passed his test or not.

"So what about you? You never told me how old you were?" I gave a little laugh, "I kind of feel like I was being interrogated for a moment there."

Kakashi gave a throaty chuckle which if I had been a lesser woman would have made me swoon.

"I am a man of many ages," he evaded.

"Is this going to become a game of whether I can guess your age?" I asked, a little flirty.

Kakashi turned his body to the side so I could see all his torso in what I could guess muscled goodness under that bulky vest. "That's only if you think you can win," he leaned a little closer, "and I am just saying," he lowered his voice and leaned so close I could feel his breath coming in little puffs. "I. Never. Lose."

I raised a dubious eye brow, can't helping the flush that went low in my belly at his close proximity. "Then I say challenge accepted."

Giving a little internal smirk for the How I Met Your Mother quote, I held a confident pinkie out.

Kakashi looked down on it confused. He stared at me with that dark eye.

"It's a pinkie promise," I gave him a laugh, "Don't worry it doesn't hurt. Have you never done a pinkie promise before?"

Kakashi just looked back down at the little finger like it was going to bite him. "What can I say? I was an old man even at a young age."

"I'll bet," I murmured, I brought us to a halt by stopping, my pinkie still bridging the gap between us. "Hold out your opposite pinkie," I instructed lowly, he did what I said. "Now link it with mine."

I barely managed to contain my raging heart as my eyes got flooded with image after image. I flinched as most were, from what I could tell, filled with blood.

I pulled back and tugged my grey worn sleeves over my wrists again, rubbing my knuckles together.

"So yeah, we pinkie promised and now I am going to win," I gave a smile and peered up at Kakashi through my eyelashes.

His black orb rolled in its socket, "Somehow I doubt it is going to give you the tactical advantage you think it will."

I threw my hands into the air, "Maybe you are older than I thought," I said exasperatedly, "It was meant to be _fun_. Do you know how to say _fun_?" I finished patronisingly.

"What would be more fun is drinking, which we aren't doing," Kakashi said pointedly.

"We can't get there if you don't show me where it is," I said, equally as pointed.

Kakashi startled, noting my point began to stroll down the pavement, further away from the hospital.

We were walking in companionable silence until I remembered. "Oh!"

Kakashi immediately on his guard looked around alertly. "What?"

"I was just wondering if the guy who gave me their shirt got it back?" I asked, blushing that I spoke so loud that I alarmed Kakashi.

"Oh," Kakashi relaxed himself awkwardly, "Yeah he got it back coupled with your sick."

Horrified I stared up at him, praying that he was joking but from his cheerful delivery I don't think he was.

I face palmed. "Oh God I am so embarrassed." I moaned.

"Who is this God you keep speaking of?" Kakashi's brow furrowed. "Is it like some cult leader?"

I shook my head dismissively. I couldn't even begin to explain God to him. _If by cult you mean one of the largest religions internationally? Then yes, he is a cult leader._

"Ah here we are," Kakashi announced and I looked up from my examination of the pavement to look up at some concrete steps leading up to the second story of flats. We climbed the steep and frankly dangerous steps, riddled with obstacles like slippery algae, cracks, loose steps. I was lucky I even made it to the top.

Kakashi withdrew some keys with a jangled flourish. Opening the door, I followed him quietly into the dark flat which was illuminated by the clipped click of the light switch.

It was an organised mess, where there was mess it was organised into their piles. They all probably had their rhymes and reasons but it was probably forgotten by Kakashi or there was no need for the organisation any longer.

"What do you like to drink?" he asked stripping himself of his green vest as I strolled around, inspecting his flat and spotted the alcohol sitting on the side.

"I'll take that vodka there," I said with a smirk and a point.

Kakashi gave me an approving stare. "I couldn't agree more."

I heard Kakashi banging around the cabinets until he found two dusty glasses which he rinsed with water before filling them with shots. He cradled them both against his obviously flat tummy with one arm. I helped by bringing in the bottle to the living room as well. It looked like we weren't going to waste it.

I swallowed my shot with a choked cough. He did the same through the mask.

I gave him a look as he sloshed more into my cup. "I respect privacy but are you really-"

"Going to drink all this vodka through my mask?" Kakashi shot another back. There was an obvious dark space on his mask. "Yes."

I shot him a smirk and downed my own, holding my cup for more. "They did say curiosity killed the cat, so I'm not going to question it." I shook my cup obviously when Kakashi didn't fill mine.

He paused. He put down the bottle with the transparent liquid, which I quickly snatched up and poured another shot into my glass. I knocked it back quickly grimacing at the awful taste and moved my mouth wordlessly.

Kakashi was still staring at me.

"What?!" I finally exclaimed, feeling a little woozy from the alcohol hitting my system.

"You are saying you aren't curious _at all_ about what's under this mask?" he asked dubiously.

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "I never said that, dumbass. I'm just saying that I know the feeling, so why bother asking when I know you won't take it off?" I drank another shot, burning my gullet.

"What are you used to hiding?" Kakashi said seriously, his hands clasped loosely between his legs, his shoulders slumped.

"Let's just say I used to have shit load of scars from an accident," I slurred, I grabbed the bottle again and swigged from it straight. "Used to cover them because I was so embarrassed but here it seems like the laws of nature don't count."

I gave a nonchalant shrug and went to take another swig when someone swiped it from my grip.

I pouted but let Kakashi take a couple of brave gulps, never taking his eyes off me.

"Alright!" I crowed, "Let's get this party started!"

Kakashi gave a derisive snort and took another couple of mouthfuls.

"So tell me," I pushed my loose body closer to the grey haired man. "What is going on between you and dear Sakura?"

I gave a sloppy smile. Kakashi seemed to stiffen and took another fortifying gulp of vodka.

"There is nothing going on," he said coolly, "I don't know where you got the idea that something was happening."

I chortled, lolling back on the sofa. "God everyone is so _stupid_. I mean I could see it just by us walking out of the hospital." I fell further back on the cushions as I tried to poke Kakashi in the chest and missed. I groaned. "I am probably going to regret this so much tomorrow."

"Jenny tell me, how were we noticeable," Kakashi shook my shoulder.

I smirked wobbily, "AHA! So you _do_ admit it! There is something between you?" I crowed.

Kakashi rolled his eye. "Yes there is something between me and Sakura or well I think there is," he muttered the last bit.

"Totally KNEW IT! It isn't one sided by the way, don't worry." I reassured him with a missed pat on the shoulder. "As for the how, I'm just really observant, no one notices me in the back ground so the normal people miss the big idea."

Kakashi studied me for a moment. "And why is that?" he asked.

I wagged my finger in front of his nose. "Nope sorry you have to get me drunker than this I'm afraid."

Kakashi grasped my wrist which was holding the bottle and gently pulled it from my now limp grasp, struggling under the sensational overload. Placing it on the table Kakashi drew me up with him and I stood up with him willingly, slightly comatose with the contact where I could taste the precise bitterness of the vodka, I could see the remnants of vodka clinging to the one eyed man's mask like dew drops. I really wanted to sample those sweet dew drops.

Now I may have been a bit drunk so I stumbled into a lot of objects, occasionally running into the walls but it hurt a whole lot more especially since I had Kakashi to lean on, meaning that my sense of touch was amplified.

After getting slightly more sober direction from Kakashi, we entered his bedroom and with some manoeuvring he got me to sit on the edge of the bed and began to remove his shoes and trousers. In my drunken state I was getting slightly turned on by an attractively fit man stripping in front of me and I was hoping he wasn't wearing briefs and my heart sank when I saw he did have a black pair on.

He turned to his dresser where he pulled out another pair of black boxer shorts and a t-shirt. He turned to me and helped me stand.

"Oh believe me I know how this works," I drunkenly tried to say seductively.

I tugged my shirt over my head and dismissed it at Kakashi's bare feet, white in the dusk light.

"These come next right?" I purred and hooked my thumbs into the waist band of the trackies and allowed them to pool at my feet leaving me as bare as the day I was born.

I stepped out of them, closer to the grey haired man and when I tried to lift his shirt from his body his halted my fingers with a surprisingly strong grip.

"The shirt stays," he said.

I nodded disjointedly, my head feeling unattached to my body. I reached behind his head and untied his eye patch. When it fell from his face, I was expecting some kind of wooden eye or maybe a hole where the eye should have resided except instead, a huge red eye glowed back at me.

I stumbled back trying to ignore the fear that chilled me straight to the bone, I shook my wonky head and stepped one bit closer to him.

My breasts were so close to touching that black fabric, so close to feeling the warmth that I unknowingly caressed earlier that day.

Hooking my hand around the back of his neck I sloppily dragged his head down as I pushed myself to my tip toes and I sucked his mask into my mouth, taking those little droplets of transparent alcohol into my mouth. Grinning at the taste, I released the fabric and pushed myself for more contact and pushed my lips against his.

They didn't move against my own.

In this state I think I couldn't have cared less, as was experienced from me grinding against Kakashi drunkenly, losing my balance a couple of times. His hands weren't pressing into any of my exposed skin, but I could just imagine the feel, the thought making me flush and feel a little bit of my desire to pool at my privates.

Leaning in again, I sighed as my hands burrowed under his shirt, my bare hands against the bare planes. I tried to hook fingers under his mask to pull his naked mouth against mine but Kakashi held tight to my wrists.

When I withdrew, Kakashi had his eyes closed and the moonlight was on his face and I saw the thin line bisecting the eye covered by the eye patch. Gently I traced it with my finger, trying to ignore the kaleidoscope of colours pushing into my vision.

"How did this happen?" I murmured, unconsciously leaning closer again until my lips were almost brushing his again.

Kakashi covered my hand, pulling it away, "Curiosity killed the cat." He reminded me. "Do you need help into your sleeping clothes?" he indicated the clothes which lay abandoned as I had decided to drunkenly seduce him.

I heaved a huge sigh, flipping one of my pony tails over my shoulder to twirl around my finger and lowered my eyes to the floor. "I will put my clothes on," I peeked up through my thick black lashes that acted as a fine tooth comb at this point in time. "If," I continued breathily, and put myself on my tip toes, "you tell me your real age."

Kakashi gave a huff of frustration, "This isn't playing fair." He commented.

"What you get with me are dirty tricks and misleading comments," I said in sing song, walking my fingers up his chest. I giggled. His chest felt weird.

Kakashi caught it flat handed. My eyes rolled backwards at the sight of my eyes tripping, the colours were soon overwhelming me and in the back ground I swear I could hear a beeping and some sobs.

"My age is…" he paused, "whatever you want it to be." He finished lamely.

I mock glared at him. Pulling my hand free from his finally my vision coming back, I crawled onto the bed my bare derriere in the air as I crawled across the bed, blatantly ignoring the clothes laid out for me.

"I didn't know you had a tattoo," he said suddenly.

I peered over my shoulder as if I could see the tattoo on the left side of my lower back. "Yeah, so I do."

I shot him a glance. "Do you want the answer to the unasked question or do you want me in clothes?"

There was a slant of silvery light cutting across his throat so I could see his Adam's apple bob nervously.

"Clothes." I pouted, but rolled over and sat up.

"You're so boring," I moaned, stretching my naked arms above my head.

"Are you going to change or am I going to have to do it for you?" he asked amusedly, his cool façade back in place.

"Well if you're offering…?" I raised my eyebrows playfully.

Kakashi had kept the eye which had the red eye closed and managed to move the other heavenward while keeping the other resolutely shut. Kakashi began to slide the soft cotton boxers up my legs, alighting a slight moan from me.

"You can stop using chakra you know," Kakashi said suddenly.

My eyes looked down to him where he was kneeling in between my legs, in confusion.

"Chakra? I'm not using whatever the hell that is," I lay back down staring at the ceiling.

"Then you are glowing, Firefly," Kakashi smirked, I think. I can't really remember. "Sit up again, I need to put your shirt on."

Obediently I sat up. I looked down at my body and saw my bare torso was glowing exactly like a firefly. I gaped in awe and moved my arms, just examining the hue, to ascertain that it was my body the glow was on.

"Holy shit," I breathed.

I wiggled my fingers and giggled when the glowing digits moved too.

"Holy shit!" I squealed, "This is the most wicked thing ever!"

I think I caught Kakashi with another smile which he tried to cover it when I looked over at him.

"I saw that smile mister," I teased.

Kakashi responded by roughly shoving the shirt over my head.

I shimmied myself back onto the bed, tucking myself into the bed sheets.

We both were silent listening to the slight rustle of trees outside Kakashi's window, the imperceptible sound of his soft breathing.

"Kakashi?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'll tell you about my tattoo if you tell me your age?" I rolled so I faced his prone body.

"I'm already sober," Kakashi replied, not once looking back at me. "I'm not drunk enough to answer the question."

I snorted derisively.

"You are possibly the most closed off person I have ever met," I said, tracing on the duvet cover.

"Pot calling kettle," he mumbled, shifting onto his side so he could face me.

"Whatever," I shifted closer. "I'm sorry by the way."

Kakashi raised his eyebrows, "what for?"

"For girls being bitches, in particular, Sakura. What she did today was a dick move." I said simply. "It is the most fundamental truth of life."

Kakashi grunted in amusement.

"You realise you, yourself are one of those 'bitches'?" Kakashi said arching the brow over his black eye higher.

I nodded sagely, "it is the thing I have to bear with every day. Oh the shame!"

Kakashi grunted louder in what could be mistaken for laughter.

We were both quiet for a minute.

"Thanks for letting me stay in your flat," I broke the silence again, "you didn't have to."

"It's not exactly a chore," he said with a wry grin. "I get a pretty young girl to stay in my old man flat for free. Many men would be jealous."

Now it was my turn to grunt in sarcastic humour as I flagged back to stare at the ceiling.

"You don't need to sweet talk me into bed Kakashi," I said, my vision becoming steadily clearer every second, like I was becoming more sober by the second, "I'm already here. And you're not exactly old."

Kakashi chuckled. "That is true."

We now stayed in the silence, just enjoying the feeling of another human being. I yawned, stretching my arms above my head.

"Go to sleep Jenny-chan," Kakashi said, "we'll talk in the morning."

"Jenny, just Jenny." I mumbled before I snuggled into the pillow, enjoying Kakashi's scent of spearmint and tea tree and fell asleep.

* * *

><p>So first proper fanfic, thought the first chapter came out okay right?<p>

Just some info:

I really want Kakashi accurately interpreted so feed back is appreciated, especially if you hate it :3

Next, OCs. Jenny, love her? Hate her? let me know because that is one of the things that I really dislike is if OCs are Mary Sue's.

I have written ahead by a few chapters however, when those are all published, i don't know if i'll update as regularly so bear with me.

Thanks and i would appreciate the reviews :3

~JustThatKindOfSpecial


	3. Morning After

Morning After

"**You don't need to sweet talk me into bed Kakashi," I said, my vision becoming steadily clearer every second, like I was becoming more sober by the second, "I'm already here. And you're not exactly old." **

**Kakashi chuckled. "That is true." **

**We now stayed in the silence, just enjoying the feeling of another human being. I yawned, stretching my arms above my head. **

"**Go to sleep Jenny-chan," Kakashi said, "we'll talk in the morning." **

"**Jenny, just Jenny." I mumbled before I snuggled into the pillow, enjoying Kakashi's scent of spearmint and tea tree and fell asleep. **

…o0o…

When I woke up next, I was alone and confused.

This wasn't my bed but then the day before replayed before my eyes. I groaned, smacking the palms of my hands in front of my eyes.

How did I get in this situation? In fact, what happened to send me here? Why always _me?_ Oh god, I hope he doesn't try and bring up my _stupid _drunken seduction. I mean _why_ did I have to do that? I mean yeah he is pretty attractive but I had to focus on more important things.

Things like: how was I going to get back to my world?

Blearily, I pushed myself into a sitting position and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes with a yawn. I paused waiting for the inevitable nausea coupled with my usual alcohol consumption. It didn't come. I waited some more. Nothing.

Overjoyed to have skipped out on the hangover, other than feeling slightly lethargic, but I could live with that, I swung my feet out of the bed. I looked at my surroundings which I didn't in my drunk stupor.

While Kakashi's living room was disorganised, looking completely lived in, his room had the feeling of being unused. Everything was too clean, there were no photos or mementos, no paintings covering the plain white walls.

The only things that proved otherwise were the bookcase that covered the entirety of the wall on my side of the bed and the bed sheets that had those little throwing stars. It was kind of juvenile choice of duvet covers but, frankly, I don't think he was around much to think of changing it considering the layer of dust covering the dresser.

The room looked like the kind a house showing offered.

Being a book reader myself, curiosity finally pushed me to cautiously place a toe on the floor. I flinched at the cold on my already poorly circulated toes. Steeling myself for worse, I placed the soles of my feet on the pale wooden floor.

Hopping quickly over to the bookcase, I began to browse the options. My eyebrows which had started just above my eyes had slowly crept up to my hair line like ivy in surprise.

It was all erotica.

I gave a small laugh as I pulled out different novels. While they may have been of the smutty nature, it seemed like they all had actual plot lines. It was only because on the back of each book had a sticker that I found out they were of the sexy nature. The sticker said:

WARNING: Not suitable for people 17 & younger. Erotic situations.

I snickered and began to browse for some light reading. There was 'The Ninja's Weakness', 'The Drug Lord's Greed' and other such titles, some hinting at the erotic nature, others sounding as innocent as a picture book.

As I was about to pull out another book, a hand caught mine. I froze as the overwhelming feeling of everything sharpening, I could smell the dust, the spearmint and the tea tree, I could also smell meat cooking in another room. The colours brightened and the touch on my wrist gave a tingle and it was like I could feel every crease of his skin.

I sucked in a sharp breath through my nose, trying to adapt to this overload.

"What are you doing?" Kakashi asked in a low voice.

I blushed and tugged my wrist to try and break his hold.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snoop but I was just looking for some reading," I said, determined to not look at him directly. I was too embarrassed from the night before.

"You read this?" Kakashi held up a book with an orange cover that curiously didn't have a blurb.

"Well no," I admitted, still trying to remove Kakashi's fingers from my wrist, "but I do like the genre you read." I arched a brow, "why is it you read such things again?"

Kakashi shrugged and finally released my wrist and leaned against the bookcase, facing me.

"What can I say? Can't get any on my own so have to live vicariously through the characters of these books?" He gestured the wall of books beside him.

I laughed and turned to look at the options again. "Somehow, I doubt that you can't get any woman you wanted." _You could have had me last night, but didn't. Why?_

I slid a glance over to him to see he raised an eyebrow incredulously.

I reddened and tried to ignore him as I still looked over the various spines. Kakashi sighed and walked over to the far side of the book case and pulled out book, caressed the cover before walking back to me.

"Action, violence, a little sex, not too graphic though," Kakashi held the book out to me, "arguably an overused plot line with an evil king and an assassin with a moral soul to defeat his evil regime. It was a good read though."

I took it hesitantly and looked up into the liquid black eye and noticed with a jolt he had gotten dressed already.

"Okay, thanks," I smiled gratefully, "when I finished with this one maybe you could lend me something a bit more smutty?"

Kakashi looked at me in surprise as I blushed furiously at his scrutiny.

"I wouldn't have taken you for a dirty romance reader," he finally said, "what's your reason?"

"Obviously, I can't get any either," I shot him a cheeky smirk and walked over to my clothes still piled on the floor by the dresser, "can I borrow your shower?"

Kakashi nodded and motioned me to follow him into the hallway and guided me to a surprisingly large bathroom.

"Whoa," I gaped, although the products actually inside the bathroom were pretty cheap, what with bubbling countertops, warped from the continuous steam. There was a significantly large shower and had a rain shower head, I spied through the almost mouldy shower curtain, I have to say the fact that he had two cheap looking bath tubs side my side under the frosted window, I didn't keep my mouth closed.

Kakashi tapped my chin up to close my mouth with a brazen eye crinkle. "Close your mouth, your letting the flies in. Do you want to have breakfast first?"

I nodded numbly and allowed myself to be guided back into Kakashi's average kitchen. I saw Kakashi had already begun to cook sausages and bacon. I gave an appreciative sniff.

Kakashi raised an amused eyebrow, "This would be a bad time to tell me you are a vegetarian." He walked over to roll the meat around the sizzling pan. "Aren't you feeling at all hung over?" he looked over his shoulder to where I was slouched against a counter.

I shrugged. "Usually I would have but for some reason all I feel is tired."

"I wish I had that skill," he joked as he flopped two rashers of bacon on my plate.

I walked to the table and eagerly awaited my breakfast when I took a bite of the heart attack on a plate I couldn't hold back the moan from deep in my throat. "Oh, that tastes fantastic!" I began to scoop more food into my mouth faster.

"You _can_ slow down you know," Kakashi said, meaningfully bringing a forkful of sausage in his mouth slowly with his back to me, his mask in place until the last possible moment.

I rolled my eyes at his antics. "Homfh am I suppothed to apweciate it thwen?"

Kakashi just shook he head, "I don't even know what you are saying." He put another forkful in his mouth.

I swallowed hard. "How am I supposed to appreciate it then?" I gave him a smile before pile some more meat on my fork.

"By not choking on your food so you can actually tell me?" Kakashi suggested with a deep chuckle.

I huffed an exasperated breath through my nose. "I am not appreciating that comment, but I am trying my best to ignore it."

We were silent for a bit before Kakashi cracked it.

"I'm thirty four," he said nonchalantly.

I looked up startled. "Huh?"

"I promised you I would tell you my age if you got into your pyjamas which you did." Kakashi explained.

"Oh, well thanks." I blushed at the thought of the predicament he was faced with. I wanted to apologise but I wasn't sure how to break the subject so after a couple of times where I would open my mouth to say something, I resolved myself to saying nothing at all.

We were both silent again, the only thing breaching it was the slight scrape of knives and forks against the plates.

"My tattoo is a kingfisher," I said awkwardly, remembering our deal from the night before. I felt uncomfortable that he had seen me in my state of inebriation and had nothing to show for it. I didn't really care if he kept his side of the deal or not. I was just happy that he was my roommate.

"Uh, it was meant to be the sister tattoo I was supposed to get with mine," I rubbed the back of my neck. "She was going to get the mirror of it on the opposite side."

Kakashi didn't say anything, he just looked at me with his dark eye which I swear was lightening to a dark grey colour.

Feeling the mood was too heavy for the time of the morning when I should have been having my hang over; I got up and banged around the cupboards until I found a glass which I rinsed before filling with some water. I guzzled it down as if a woman parched from the desert.

"Are you trying to drown yourself now?" Kakashi sniped playfully, the mood returning to light hearted.

I shook my head and took a deep breath. "I don't know what came over me, I was probably more dehydrated from last night than I thought." I turned my gaze to his playfully, "So you aren't feeling hung over?"

"Oh I never said that," he gave a low chuckle that I could tell vibrated through his chest, "I _am_ feeling a little delicate."

"Awww baby," I cooed and reached over to chub his cheek, "can't ickle Kakashi hold his drink?"

Kakashi mock glared at me and slapped my hand away. He pointed to the door, "I've had my quota for social contact this hour, go take a shower."

I rolled my eyes and patted his shoulder, barely lingering because of the senses spike.

Walking into the bathroom, I spied the large mirror and remembered a thought which had been haunting me: what if other parts of myself had changed, not just my hair?

Tentatively I stepped in front of the reflective glass and gasped.

I had my usual black bushy eyebrows which I _thought_ I tweezered at least the night before my exam and I shuddered in horror that boys had seen me like this. That I tried seducing _Kakashi_ like this! _I'll try and convince Sakura to buy me some tweezers today_. With my shallow self reassured I returned to analysing my body.

My cheekbones were still high and sharp, still had the slightly large nose and the plump lips but my usual murky green eyes were gone. Instead were these ethereal blue eyes that were only a shade lighter than my hair itself. I gaped.

I couldn't believe it.

It was so… awesome!

I grinned and examined my body. Unfortunately I looked like I was still that B-cup bust. In fact my body looked exactly like it did before the accident, meaning I had none of my scars sliding across my arms and stomach. I didn't have the star shaped scars on my chest where a rod punctured my lungs nor the red rough blemishes landscaping my thighs.

I had one of those odd bodies where it was a cross between those voluptuous and the model thin women.

I had the curves of a voluptuous woman where my waist was pinched, my hips flared out but this meant that I had large thighs which I try to blame on the sport I do. However I was like a model with the fact that I was tall but had no breasts to even speak of.

Although if I'm honest with myself having a small breast size meant that I could run (sometimes) without a bra, could sleep on my front _and_ I could always add to my bust if ever required with push-up bras.

Shaking my head at my vainness, I stripped and turned to the massive shower cubicle.

After experimentally turning a few knobs, I managed to get a steady stream out. Pulling the shower curtain closed after me, I began to wet my hair.

It was weird having so much hair. I could barely mange to lather the whole mess without using excessive amounts of the blue goop which I assumed was the shampoo. Then washing it out was a complete and utter bitch.

There was no other way of putting it. It was a complete bitch.

There was no conditioner and unfortunately considering he was a guy and while his hair was unruly, it wasn't overly long so didn't require the smoothness of conditioner that girls did. I sighed in frustration but turned to the bar of soap where I lathered my body and I smelled the spearmint and tea tree. I leaned my head back against the water in luxurious relaxation.

I heard shouts outside the bathroom door and I tilted my head towards the sound in confusion.

There was an almighty _SLAM!_

"Alright, Jenny-chan we're leaving!" Sakura's voice came through the shower curtain before it was rudely yanked away.

I screamed and Kakashi who was standing by the empty doorway comically slapped his hands to his eyes to maintain my decency.

"Jesus Christ woman, _what are you doing!_" I screamed, trying to cover myself up from her clinical gaze.

"Oh Jenny-chan I'm sorry I forget after a shift at the hospital that some people wouldn't want me seeing their body-" Sakura began apologetically.

"GET OUT!" I screamed, pointing to the door.

"Now really, it's not like I haven't seen it all before!" Sakura irritated put her fisted hands on her hips.

Kakashi realising covering his eyes wasn't actually helping me quickly ran in and grabbed Sakura by the arm and dragged her out the room, shooting me an apologetic look before closing the door with a now broken lock.

I sighed in relief when the door closed and slumped against the wall.

My whole body flushed. _Oh. My. Fucking. God!_

I covered my face with my hands as if _that _would get rid of the embarrassment of Sakura and Kakashi seeing me naked twice in two days. Kakashi seeing more than two times!

Then indignant rage came flushing through my body.

How dare she come in here expecting me to be okay with her barging in and seeing me naked? I mean Jesus, I have had only a _day_ without my life long scars, the only person to enjoy my flawless arms and stomach was _me_.

With a nod, I began to vigorously dry my body in angry swipes and then started to change. It was only when I was pulling my long hair out of the hole of the long sleeved top that my rage at Sakura had dissipated slightly.

Satisfied that I had everything accounted for I walked out of the room to the kitchen which was swimming in a very tense atmosphere.

Kakashi was standing by the sink carefully and meticulously cleaning each plate and then drying it equally as thorough. I swear I could hear the squeak; that was how clean each plate was.

Sakura was staring at her hands an angry scowl on her face. I coughed awkwardly.

Sakura's head shot immediately upwards and when she saw my face she smiled, "Hey."

I nodded at her, the anger at her earlier intrusion still fresh in my brain. I turned to Kakashi who's only sign of having heard me was a curious tilt of his head in my direction.

"Do you mind if I have a cup of tea?" I asked. "It's only because of last night's drinking, I think I am still a little tired."

This was obviously the wrong thing to say because Sakura slammed a fist onto the table where I could see it crack a little. Kakashi seemed oblivious to the sign of anger from Sakura and continued to wash each pan and utensil used at breakfast.

"I _still_ can't believe you let her drink alcohol and straight after coming out of hospital!" Sakura raged as if they hadn't stopped the conversation.

Kakashi didn't bother turning around as he placed the pan on the drying rack. "She was the one drinking it like it was water," he replied shortly.

"That is true," I agreed, "I mean he was the sober and sensible one while I was going crazy stripping-"

Sakura turned her furious gaze on me, glaring. "I know. He told me." she seethed. "You have some gall for trying to take another woman's man."

I held my hands up defensively, backing up. "I was extremely drunk!" I tried to defend myself, "In any other case, I wouldn't have."

"You better finish up quick we have stuff to do today," Sakura said coldly, ignoring all sense of argument.

I pushed my feet into my plimsolls and was angrily pushed towards the door. I tried to dig my heels into the carpet to slow us down, but Sakura was a woman of incredible strength and continued to push me away from Kakashi.

I turned before I was shoved out of the door and called over to Kakashi in the kitchen, "thanks for breakfast! It was delicious!" and had to give a hurried goodbye as I was all but shoved out of the door.

Sakura grabbed my upper arm and dragged me down the cement steps of the block of flats and down the street, dodging other rushing citizens. We only slowed down when we were out of sight of Kakashi's building.

Sakura sighed in relief. "Sorry about shouting at you, me and Kakashi aren't on the best of terms at the moment and I just got jealous."

She gave me an apologetic smile. I just gave her a disbelieving look and look forward again.

"I'm also sorry for barging in on you in the shower and being very blunt with you yesterday," Sakura continued. "I get very defensive over the comments I receive about my hair."

I gave her an incredulous stare, "It's only hair. But whatever, it's fine," I swallowed the hot bile I got from saying such a distasteful lie.

I continued to walk forward, just wondering if I could try and weasel my way back to Kakashi's so I could read his book.

"It's not _just_ hair," Sakura frowned, "it's the thing that guys look at and think that I must be the new form of hooker."

I almost laughed as I looked at her attire. I realise that it must have seemed mean of me to laugh at her but if I'm honest, the clothes she was wearing, well… it was the most un-hooker like clothes you could ever come across. A red top that didn't offer anything of cleavage, but I could see some hookers wear some shorts just like Sakura's. However, she was wearing a head band with a weird symbol that now I think about it, Kakashi had on his eye patch.

We continued to walk in blissful silence until Sakura stopped in horror when she heard a shriek of "Forehead!" came from the direction we were walking.

We both turned to look to see a purple clad blonde running and waving to meet us.

Sakura forced a smile and waved back, "Ino-Pig!"

Ino embraced Sakura and turned to observe me. "Who are you?" she asked bluntly.

I smiled, instantly liking her. I held my hand out to shake.

"Jenny."

Ino smiled and took my hand and began to drag me down the street.

"I heard my help was needed to get you some clothes to wear," she eyed my clothes critically, "I can see why."

I laughed. "Thank God."

Ino cocked her head to the side, "whose God?"

Internally I sighed but outwardly I said, "no one important."

I hoped that He wasn't listening or I was going to smited for the blasphemy.

"INO-PIG!" Sakura yelled after us, "We have a budget to follow."

Ino pouted. "Fine, so what do we need to get?"

"Underwear," I said immediately.

Ino shot me a knowing grin. "Come on let's go to Midnight Lace!"

Sakura halted us both with a hard hand on each shoulder.

"BUDGET INO-PIG!" Sakura snarled.

Ino rolled her eyes but stopped anyway and turned to me.

"When you get the money from the mission I will take you to Midnight Lace," she gave me smile which I returned eagerly.

"Is it good quality? Like is it lingerie or normal cotton stuff?" I asked as we walked, Sakura on the other side of Ino.

"Lingerie, the good stuff, has every colour of the rainbow basically." Ino rolled her eyes to me, "So I noticed a lot of _tension_ between you and Forehead here. What was that about?"

"I am right here Pig!" Sakura growled.

"She stormed in on me showering," I said with a teasing smirk, to show that I was joking.  
>Ino turned to Sakura with an outraged gasp.<p>

"Billboard, you can't just walk in on people showering! This isn't the hospital!"

Sakura glared right on back.

"What she didn't tell you that she tried to take Kakashi from me last night!"

I blinked in surprise. I thought we were over that. In fact, I didn't believe that was an issue.

Ino now turned her furious gaze on me.

"I was drunk!" I shot back, my eyes darting for some kind of protection.

Ino turned back to Sakura who fisted her hands, "that's still not an excuse!"

I huffed indignantly, "I wouldn't have done it if I was sober!"

"Are you saying Kakashi isn't worth doing if sober?! Oh kami it is on! I am going to beat you into a pulp!" Sakura strode towards me, her fisted right hand raised to send me a punch that I anticipated would hurt like a bitch.

Sakura went to leap on me but Ino held her back from scratching my eyes out.

"What the hell Ino! Let me go!" the pinkette snarled, trying to get out of Ino's restraining hands.

"Right I think we need to start all over again," Ino tried to say over Sakura's incoherent snarls and shouts. Ino turned her steely gaze to me. "Jenny apologise to Sakura for trying to have sex with Kakashi."

"Hell no," I said folding my arms across my chest. "I was drunk! I cannot be accountable to my actions."

Looking back that was probably the most bitchy thing I have ever said. I wasn't usually this catty but I blame it on clashing personalities.

Ino narrowed her eyes. "Apologise now!" she yelled.

I threw my hands into the air in exasperation. "Fine!" I turned my stare to Sakura, "I'm sorry for trying to unsuccessfully sleep with you boyfriend." I added the last bit with a roll of my eyes.

Sakura's snarl lessened a bit and stopped struggling against Ino but huffed and turned slightly away from me.

"Now Forehead, accept the apology."

There was a tense moment of silence before a puff of air and then a muttered "fine, accepted."

Ino nodded satisfied, "now Sakura apologise for walking in on her showering and being overall a bitch about something that _didn't even happen_."

Sakura arched a pink eyebrow but dropped her arms from their defensive position and looked at me. "I'm sorry for being a bitch."

I offered a sheepish grin and said, "forgiven."

We shared easy smiles. Ino huffed next to us.

"Okay can we shop now?"

We all laughed and continued.

"So where are you from Jenny-chan?" Ino started down the street again.

I shrugged noncommittally, "I think my family travelled from field to field. I don't know it was a little bit blurry. Oh and just call me Jenny."

"Yeah, I'll bet, after the landing you created, I wouldn't be surprised." Ino reached for a stall to finger a scarf.

"What about my landing?" I asked confused, looking from Sakura to Ino and back again.

Ino arched and incredulous eyebrow. "You don't know about the massive crater you created in Training Ground Three?"

I pished, "Bull shit."

Ino and Sakura traded significant glances which I didn't understand.

"Well it's nothing you need to worry about." Ino said airily turning to a stall with more scarves but had her hand slapped away by Sakura. "Ow, Forehead!"

"We need to focus and buy Jenny her gear for tomorrow's mission!" Sakura scolded and turned away from the brightly coloured stall, to a boring, plain one where they had bras laid out on the table.

My heart sank and it was now time for me to exchange a look with Ino, one that spoke of disappointment and promise of doing a shopping trip with just each other.

"Why am I going on a mission?" I asked, "I don't really have any qualifications to go on one."

"Nonsense," Sakura dismissed me easily, holing up a bra for my inspection. I barely managed to hold back my sneer. Instead I just shrugged. "All we have to do is escort some civilians and their cargo, not through any dangerous country, all it means is that we are going to have to a lot of walking. It will take at most five days to reach our destination and come back." She paused and muttered darkly. "That is if we aren't late."

"Oh pig I forgot to ask, how is that new assistant working out for you?" Sakura asked.

Ino huffed darkly, "She is _awful_ the only work she does is have sex in the back room," Ino flipped her fringe out of her face, "If anyone is going to have sex in the backroom it is going to be _me and Shikamaru_."

Sakura rolled her eyes and began to load her bars into her arms as Ino ranted. "She gets the orders wrong, she is always late and she had the cheek to ask me for a raise the other day!"

Sakura shot a look towards me before turning to the irate blonde. "Then maybe you should just fire her?" Sakura suggested.

Ino let out a disbelieving snort, "Of course I can't! No one wants to bother working for minimum wage for starters!"

"I wonder why that is," Sakura muttered lowly to me.

I giggled.

"Then most don't like the responsibility of the entire café!"

As Ino continued to rant, Sakura paid for some bras where the only guidance I gave was my size.

The day continued much like that where Ino or I would see something pretty and Sakura would shoot it down and replace it with a plainer and cheaper version where me and Ino would hold contempt for the entire stall. I would refrain a grimace while I would catch Ino's eye who couldn't even do that. I would snort, Sakura would give both me and Ino the stink eye until we quieted down.

Ino and I would then sigh in disappointment and hang our heads wishing for the shopping trip to end.

It was when Sakura had run off without us that Ino and I actually had a proper conversation. Ino turned to me eagerly.

"So how did you begin to proposition Kakashi then?" She turned my shoulders forcefully until I faced her and shook me a little. My head snapped back and forth, I felt all my brain cells bashing together painfully and rattle.

"Well I was drunk," I began uneasily, unsure whether Ino would report back to Sakura like a back stabber.

Ino rolled her blue eyes, exasperated. "It's okay, I'm not Forehead. I don't think you could be blamed." She lowered her voice. "He is some fine piece of ass."

I smirked. "Not that you are a taken woman or anything is going to stop you perusing the stock."

Ino laughed, tilting her head back. "Oh, I like you, I think we are going to get on well."

I chuckled, "Well thank Go-" I cut myself off. I realised I used God _way_ too many times in a sentence. "I mean thank you, I think we will too."

"If I am being completely honest Forehead is completely wasting her time with him. So yeah, he loves her but how long if she keeps going off with Sasuke-"

"Wait what?!" I hissed, cutting her off.

Ino covered her mouth, horrified. "Uh, nothing, just pretend you didn't hear that."

I scowled, "Kakashi is my-" I hesitated, unsure what we were, acquaintances? Friends? "my roommate," I finished, "and at this point my loyalty lies with him than Sakura."

Ino nodded. "I would be too with what Sakura is doing isn't very good right now but when it comes to _him_ it's like Forehead can't stop herself."

"Whatever," I forced myself to smile.

Just rushing through the rest of the day, thinking about what could Sakura could be doing and hoping against hope that the stall would be the last so I could get back to my roommate.

…o0o…

I knocked on the door to Kakashi's apartment exhausted. Sakura refused to come up because apparently things were still a bit bad between them.

Ringing on the door bell, I leaned on the wall beside the door, not finding the energy to drop the bags yet not finding the energy to hold them up any longer. Finally after a significant number of snaps the tell-tale sign of multiple locks coming undone, Kakashi opened the door and scrutinised my haggard form.

After a moment of quiet, I thought to fracture it.

"Are you going to stand there or are you going to let me in?" I asked, a tired smile stretching my face.

Kakashi gave a chuckle and took several bags from one hand and helped me in. We dumped them just by the door and I barely had the energy to take my plimsolls off and make it to the sofa where I slumped down, my face planted in a cushion.

"Nghhhh," I groaned after a moment. "I refuse to ever go shopping with them ever, ever again. Well actually I'll go with Ino, I need to go to that store Midnight Lace but not Sakura."

While Ino was good at choosing the nice clothes, she also chose the slightly more expensive and impractical ones. On the other hand, Sakura chose all the utilitarian and practical clothing and had this look when we even suggested something that I didn't strictly need. I wasn't even allowed brightly coloured bras, much to my chagrin. So I ended up with many white cotton granny pants and matching, no padding cotton bras. (Okay the moan about the granny knickers _were_ half valid but I'll let you into a secret: I loved to wear them in my lazy days.)

I was allowed only green, dark grey and black tops and it seemed in the ninja world they had no sign of understanding loose bottoms unless you were boys. So I ended up with Sakura's tight shorts except mine were down to just below my knees and where the seams were meant to be on the outer thighs it was criss crossing black string which allowed a little flesh to be shown and then where tied in bows at the tops of my hips.

Kakashi gave another good natured chuckle and lifted my legs and rested them on his lap when he had situated himself where he probably previously sat. Internally I held my breath until my body had adapted to his touch, to the five senses getting higher. Under all the obvious smells I could have sworn that I smelled disinfectant, the kind they use in hospitals and if I strained my ears hard, a slight beeping.

"I know where Midnight Lace is," Kakashi offered.

I was lucky my face was buried in a cushion at that point of time because I blushed right into the roots of my hair. I could imagine him holding a hot pink lace thong and arching an eyebrow at my choice of underwear. I shook my head.

"No you don't need to trouble yourself," I added hurriedly.

"It's not troubling if I'm doing it for my own purposes too,"

I frowned and sat up to look at him when I heard the mischievous tone in his voice.

"What are your purposes that require being in a lingerie store?" I asked suspiciously.

"I'm surprised you didn't hear it from Ino or Sakura," Kakashi gave a smile, "I'm classified as the village pervert."

There was a shocked moment of silence before-

"WHAT?!" I screeched, pulling my legs into my body, curling up to protect myself from any untoward actions. "AND THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HOUSE ME WITH HIM!?"

Kakashi laughed and patted a foot that was closest to him.

"I'm no more of a pervert that Naruto," Kakashi gave me another eye crinkle, probably to reassure me. It didn't. "It's because I read porn. That is the reason I am considered a pervert."

I put my hand on my throbbing heart beat tattooing on my skin. I huffed a sigh of relief and gave a little giggle.

"Oh my g-, you scared me for a bit." I giggled again and flopped my head back on the sofa's arm. "Jesus, if you reading graphic sex is seen as a pervert thing to do, does that mean I'm a pervert?"

"I'm afraid it does," Kakashi dead panned, "They are rounding up all the perverts in one place so we are not risking the innocence of the other civilians."

I laughed again. "Is there a pervert ghetto yet?"

"We are the beginning," Kakashi dead panned, the sound of every cheesy end of the world movie.

We stared at each other for another moment, I couldn't keep the dire facial expression on for long and began to smile which I think Kakashi mirrored but I couldn't tell until his eye crinkled.

"Should I make dinner?" I asked, wanting to break eye contact with him as I stood. While I found Kakashi attractive, he was about as available as a married man and his wife was Sakura, who while we started off rough, was one of my good friends. "I mean it's the least I could do since you are letting me live in your flat."

Kakashi smiled. "Well I'm not going to turn down the offer of free food from a pretty girl."

I pished, trying to ignore the pleasurable flush given at the complement as I walked to the kitchen.

"Just to warn you I can only cook stir fry and cookies." I gave a smirk over my shoulder as I started to clean the surfaces to prepare the food.

Kakashi followed me and slouched on a nearby counter, continuing to read his orange book.

"We'll probably have to make a food run considering I can't actually cook anything other than a fry up and instant ramen." Kakashi gave me a smile.

I grinned back and whipped him with the tea towel, "Wench help me clean everything up!"

Kakashi caught the trail of the tea towel and reeled me in despite my giggling protests.

"Who's the wench?" Kakashi growled, still pulling my struggling body in.

"Kakashi, stop we have to clean the kitchen so we can eat!" I laughed as my body collided with his hard one. I felt a tingle and I quickly let go of the cloth and let him have it as I went to the drawer to hunt for another one, "Because I don't know about you but I am starving."

Kakashi gave a long suffering sigh over my shoulder and I shot him a look.

I pointed emphatically at the infection ridden counter behind him, "Clean!"

Kakashi muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "bossy".

We worked in companionable silence. When everything was as white as it should have been instead of the garish grey that it was I began to write a list of all the things we needed.

With a satisfied sigh, I turned to Kakashi who was already thumbing through the pages of his novel. I rolled my eyes and hooked my hand through his elbow and tugged him to begin walking. We only had to pause for me to put shoes on as Kakashi seemed to always have his on.

I remembered what we were talking about earlier. "You never answered my question by the way," I commented.

Kakashi just turned a page with a rustle, "hmmm?"

"What are your purposes in Midnight Lace?" I gave him a grin.

Kakashi without looking up, "I am nothing but a humble, knicker entrepreneur." He said simply.

I stumbled for a couple of paces stunned before I began to laugh. It was so unexpected that I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry but, you are a knicker entrepreneur?" I asked dubiously.

"Yep," he turned another page.

"You deal in women's underwear?" I tried to confirm.

He grunted in agreement, his eye continuing to scan the page he was on.

I was too busy gawking at him to notice I was about to walk into a pole if Kakashi hadn't pulled me with his elbow out of the oncoming collision.

I blushed. "Sorry, so how many businesses have you got going?" I asked, humour evident in my voice.

"I don't collect businesses, I collect the unsuspecting women who have had probably the best sex of their life's knickers, or thankful women's knickers." the one eyed man stated as matter of fact before infuriatingly calmly turning the page of his smutty story. "Any kind of knickers really."

I arched a disbelieving eyebrow, "And I assume you gave these women the best sex?"

Kakashi finally looked up, his eye crinkling, the crow's feet coming out. "I don't mean to brag but… yes I did give them a memorable night and the only way they can think to thank me is by leaving me their underwear."

He said it so seriously that I wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. It wasn't like he was unattractive or anything but I have never given a guy my knickers for a good lay. Frankly I have only had a couple but they were complete dicks the morning after so, yeah, I have never had the experience.

Kakashi turned his eye forward, "ah here we are."

I looked up in surprise and saw we were outside the food store, going in as I was picking up the noodles I finally plucked up the courage to ask:-

"So did Sakura give you hers after you guys slept together?"

It wasn't like he froze up, it was more like his lack of movement, he still picked up objects but didn't really read what they were saying.

I felt bad for asking and quickly turned back to the list I had made up and jumped when Kakashi answered.

"We haven't slept together, so I wouldn't know."

I was so shocked, that I dropped the packet of sugar snap peas.

I was confused. That was my main emotion. I didn't understand why two people seemed to get along as well as they did and had fights over another girl staying over at the guys house. The little things like jealousness, the nervousness.

I shook my head.

"I'm sorry I don't think heard you right," I bent and picked up the sugar snap peas. "You guys haven't slept together?"

"No you heard right,"

"But then," I frowned, "Why do you guys act like a couple?"

Kakashi shot me a look that said to stop where I was going with this.

"We don't," he replied shortly, while violently adding the carrots into the plastic bag.

"You do," I insisted, following him to the premade sauces, "She acted like the jealous girlfriend when she heard that I had tried to have sex with you, the way that you guys make way too much contact than needed-"

"Jenny, drop it."

I closed my mouth and we continued shopping in a sullen silence.

We were walking home when Kakashi pulled me to a stop.

"I like her a lot and she says she likes me too but is still getting over Sasuke and to give her some time."

I opened my mouth to tell him Sakura was still hanging around with him when my jaw snapped closed. While Kakashi was kind of my friend, I thought of Ino as my friend too, so I couldn't betray her thin trust.

Instead, I gave him a sympathetic smile and put my shopping bags down and put my arms around his waist. Kakashi stood there stiffly for a moment.

"Jenny-"

I shushed him. "This is my way of giving free love, let me give it to you."

I heard him drop the other bags and slowly brought his arms around me too.

"We perverts have to stick together," I whispered into his chest.

I felt the rumble of his chuckle through his thin black top and the radiating heat of it to my forehead.

Finally we parted in lighter spirits and when we went into the flat I cooked us sweet and sour stir fry before we both curled up on the sofa with our smutty books, my sock clad feet resting on his lap while his free hand rubbed soothing circles on the ball of my foot.

And it was like that we went to sleep.


	4. C Class Mission? Bitch S!

C Class Mission? Bitch S

"**We perverts have to stick together," I whispered into his chest. **

**I felt the rumble of his chuckle through his thin black top and the radiating heat of it to my forehead. **

**Finally we parted in lighter spirits and when we went into the flat I cooked us sweet and sour stir fry before we both curled up on the sofa with our smutty books, my sock clad feet resting on his lap while his free hand rubbed soothing circles on the ball of my foot. **

**And it was like that we went to sleep. **

…o0o…

I woke to a thumping. I groaned and tried to roll over and found a crick in my neck. Winching my eyes open I took in my surroundings.

There was a low table with the remnants of our sweet and sour stir fry, the usual clutter so I assumed I was lying on the cheap sofa for some un-god-known reason and then I felt a soothing rub on the ball of my left foot. I purred and snuggled in closer when I felt something prod my face.

I scrunched my face in displeasure and bumped myself further back into the couch. The prodding was insistent and the thumping was just as bad.

"Go away," I mumbled, batting at the prodder.

"Answer the door then," Kakashi mumbled blearily back, nudging my cheek again with his foot. I found that we were lying tops and tails on the sofa, our feet in the others face.

"That foot better be clean," I muttered darkly.

"And if it isn't?" Kakashi resettled himself under my feet at the other end of the sofa.

"Then no hang over cupcakes for you, or getting lucky cookies or my lip sizzling lemon cake or-"

"Stop, you're making me dribble," Kakashi mumbled, sounding closer to sleep than I was.

The thumping got louder and was now coupled with a deadly calm and arrogant voice that I know I heard somewhere before…

"Kakashi, I know you can hear me, I can sense your chakra signal from here," the voice said menacingly, "you have five seconds to open this door before I break it open. Five."

When Kakashi gave no sign of moving, I hurriedly tried to move myself from the sofa and fell into an ungainly heap on the floor rushing against the count down while Kakashi still lounged on the sofa. Kakashi snickered and I sent him a murderous glare over my shoulder as I rushed to the door.

"Two."

I wrenched the door open with an indignant huff.

"Just _who_ in the hell do you think you are?" I demanded, a hand on my hip.

The guy who had blatant vanity in his voice? Well now I could understand why.

His hair was a dark black, blacker than eye pupils, all ruggedly messed up as if he just got out of bed. Sharp angles on his face and with his upper lip curled into a sneer I could see the whites of his teeth. Well built, his shirt lay a little open so I could see his little dent from where his chest muscles were so defined.

The shallow part of me slightly melted inside. But then the saner part of me _really_ hated the way he was so self-assured with his good looks.

But what drew me in and couldn't seem to drag my eyes away from was the redness of his eyes and that's when I realised-

"Holy shit you have the same eyes as Kakashi's!" I exclaimed, opening the door wider for Kakashi to see who it was, "Oh and you have someone to see you pervert."

"Thanks firefly, I can see that," Kakashi said amusedly, I almost bristled at the use of the nickname. "And to answer your question, this guy is Sasuke and I believe he is our alarm for being late."

_Sasuke…_ where did I hear that name again? Shaking it away for another time, I turned to the problem at hand.

"Late?" I asked, a bar forming between my eyebrows. "No that can't be right, we're not setting off until one I thought." I heard silence beside me and I arched an eyebrow towards my roommate. "Right Kakashi?"

Kakashi had the decency to look sheepish and rubbed the back of his head nervously and gave a chuckle.

"Well there was a firefly that needed help to stay awake during the night and so being the kind man-"

"Pervert-" I interrupted with a snarl.

"-that I am, I decided to stay up with her and then made sure she could stay up with her other firefly friends." Kakashi gave what I think was meant to be an endearing eye crinkle, instead it just made me put my hands on my hips when I caught the black out the corner of my eye.

"Oh sorry Sasuke, come in and I'll go get our stuff and get ready," I stepped back so he could step through the threshold.

He gave me an odd look before coming in himself.

"Shotgun shower first!" I called to Kakashi who was still by the door.

"But it's my flat!" he called back.

"But it's your fault we are late!" I paused spying the scissors on the side, "actually if you help me, I'll give you first shower _and_ I'll make breakfast."

"Done," he said, immediately at my side.

I gave him a grin. "Chop my hair until it is about yay high?" I indicated my hair residing just above my breasts.

"And you couldn't do this because?" he arched an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes and handed him the scissors. "Just do it? I don't care if it's even."

He gave a huff but untied my pony tails until they rested on the back of my torso. Taking the scissors, Kakashi narrowed his gaze as he ascertained how long to make it and how even before he snipped, leaving blue snakes, wriggling on the floor. The whole procedure was done in five seconds.

"Alright go take a shower, I'll put our bags by the door and I'll make you cereal?"

"We have no milk," he pointed out.

I frowned in thought. An idea caught to flame, I clapped. "Scrambled eggs?"

"Done." Kakashi rushed into the shower and I heard the running water.

I quickly went into his bedroom and yanked one of the bags to no avail. I huffed in aggravation and gave another desperate tug.

"Do you need a hand?" a smooth whiskey kind of voice asked.

I looked over my shoulder to see Sasuke leaning against the door jamb nonchalantly, his arms folded cockily over his chest.

I sent him a smile. "That would be great thanks."

I tried to lift Kakashi's one again but Sasuke simply brushed me aside and if I was completely honest I think he made sure my hands brushed his hard chest. I puckered my brows but let it slide, going to try and lift my one which I knew would be considerably lighter but Sasuke took it straight out of my hand hefting what I knew to be heavy bags, one possibly more and was treating it like it wasn't heavier than a bag of sugar.

I gaped after him and then realised that I had breakfast to make.

I rushed to the kitchen barely avoiding Sasuke in a collision when he was returning. I blushed as I almost fell on my butt if I hadn't caught the wall next to me. I shot him an apologetic grimace before racing past him, not until after did I realise I caught him sending me a smirk.

I pulled the pan out of the cupboard and reached for the carton of eggs in the fridge only to find that Sasuke had already gotten them out and was handing them to me. I slowed my rushing to take them from him disoriented with him being almost under my feet all the time but began to crack them and place them in pan with a dollop of butter.

"Do you want any?" I asked, awkward with the silence and pointed to the pan with my wooden spoon, not looking up at Sasuke who was leaning on the counter next to me.

"Yes."

I waited for the 'please' and frowned when it didn't come. I shrugged it away, favouring speed more than anything, cracking more eggs into the pan. I awkwardly reached over Sasuke's body to reach the cabinet where the salt and pepper were.

I tried to ignore the way his chest cavity was taking in more oxygen without actually doing the tell-tale sniff, but I knew he was doing it all the same.

I leaned back in confusion. "Are-are you _sniffing_ me?" I looked up to his now black eyes.

"Whoa, why are your eyes black?" I prodded his face with a finger, "I could have sworn that they were red."

Sasuke caught my finger and dragged me forward until I collided with his chest.

"I don't like people touching me," he breathed.

I leaned back to avoid as much contact as possible. "Um, yeah, sorry about that, no filter." When he still didn't release me, I squirmed. "You kind of need to let me go, the eggs might burn."

I darted my eyes to look everywhere but at him. "You don't fancy me do you?" Disbelief coloured his tone.

Startled, I considered the black haired ninja and then decided I didn't like his attitude. "That was possibly the most conceited thing I have ever had the misfortune to witness."

I tugged my wrist out of his hold and turned to the eggs to just in time save them and put them on three plates where Kakashi came in wearing all his gear, tucking a needle up one of his sleeves. Turning his back on us, he grabbed a fork and shovelled some egg into his mouth and moaned.

"What is it?" I asked worriedly, fluttering my hands in front of me. "Is it okay?"

"For someone who said she can only cook stir fry and cookies, you sure know how to cook scrambled eggs." I flushed at the compliment and quickly made my departure into the shower, stripping off my clothes.

With my head lighter without the extra hair, I lathered quickly, using the suds to cover my body too. With a rinse I forwent the conditioner and hopped straight out of the shower into a hard chest. I gasped.

"Holy-" just when I was about screech, a hand clamped down on my mouth. The senses flooded through me overwhelming me.

_-"…wake up?" the voice sobbed. _

_That incessant beeping was annoying me. _

"_Brain activity is normal-"_

I was sucked back to reality when I heard:-

"Shhh, it's just me." Kakashi shushed me when he saw me about to yell at him again.

I wrestled his hand away and a little part of me knew that he let me.

"What the hell do you think you are doing!" I hissed, cupping my arm around my chest and using my other to cover my privates. "I thought you _weren't_ a pervert?"

"I'm not, but I was cutting time by coming in to brush my teeth and truthfully we are wasting time arguing. Hurry up," and with that he walked out of the room.

"Jackass," I muttered after him, loud enough that he would have been able to hear me.

All I received was that familiar chuckle to which I rolled my eyes and turned to my clothes.

Clipping my cotton bra into place and tying bindings into place, I tugged a black t-shirt over my chest and pushed it down to my hips. I pulled my shorts on and in my haste, kept catching my toes in between the cross links much to my annoyance. Completing the look, I finished tying the outer seams almost closed with little bows by my hips.

I rushed out of the room to see my plate of eggs still there and I quickly took a few mouthfuls of the cold eggs. I grimaced but kept loading it into my mouth. Kakashi looked at me in either awe or disgust either one it didn't really matter, his Icha Icha was forgotten in his hand.

"W'rr wate," I mumbled through a mouth full of food.

"I know that," Kakashi reached over and wiped away a piece of egg on my cheek. I didn't inhale so much as stiffened as my taste buds amplified until I tasted the real sliminess of the cold eggs. I grimaced again. "But as we are late by a couple hours a few more minutes won't matter."

I swallowed my breakfast and chugged down the glass of water in front of me. "But we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place, if you had told me the real time we were meeting up." I said pointedly.

Kakashi shrugged, opting to turn another page.

"He is never on time for anything," Sasuke said from the doorway.

I jumped almost choking on my water.

"Holy shit, don't sneak up on me," I scolded, coughing to try and maintain an airway between my mouth and lungs.

Sasuke sat gracefully on the seat next to me and I tried to remain oblivious of his presence but I could have sworn that he kept leaning closer to me. I shuffled my seat a little further away but he must have been drunk because he kept tilting towards me.

I shot Kakashi a look only to see him completely absorbed by his book. I rolled my eyes in frustration until Kakashi resettled himself in his chair, his book hitting a glass of water hard, knocking it over. A glass of water that spilled all over Sasuke.

Sasuke leaped up with disgust all over his face.

"Whoopsies, how clumsy of me," Kakashi offered Sasuke an apologetic eye crinkle.

"Jesus, Kakashi," I reprimanded but secretly happy for the distraction. "You are so clumsy."

Kakashi frowned. "Who's Jesus?"

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. Why did I always do this?

I turned to get a tea towel for Sasuke and when that was handed to him I spoke.

"I'm just going to get one more thing and then we can go," I gave a smile as I rushed out of the room.

…o0o…

With my back turned I didn't see the look Kakashi sent Sasuke, who returned it with a smirk of his own.

"Don't mess with this girl's head Sasuke. She is innocent," Kakashi warned him.

Sasuke shrugged. "I find it interesting that she doesn't find me a catch or even tried to flirt with me. Even if she is playing hard to get, it is like she is not even trying." Sasuke paused, mulling over what he said. "I don't think she could be rogue nin."

"That much was obvious," Kakashi snarked, before lowering his voice further. "She is not Sakura, Sasuke. Sakura had many friends to get over you, Jenny only has me. Don't play with this girl."

Sasuke shrugged and smirked. "Jealous are we sensei?"

Kakashi frowned. "I would be jealous if I cared about her in that way but alas I'm shooting for Sakura instead," he paused gauging his reaction to his comment and much to his delight he saw the Uchiha stiffen. "Also I would have to live with the poor girl. I don't do tears well."

Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and despite Kakashi's earlier jab, his smirk increased.

"Sasuke because you don't understand basic human emotion, I'll explain this slowly: boys can care about girls in the non-romantic sense."

Sasuke's eyes flashed red. "What about our Sakura, Kakashi-_sensei_?" Sasuke spat. "Do you care about her in a 'non-romantic sense'?"

To a person who didn't know the pervert they would've said that he didn't react, that he sat there, that he was unresponsive.

But to Sasuke's Sharigan eyes he caught the way his fingers flexed against his orange book of decadent encounters.

"Did I hit a nerve sensei?" Sasuke drawled, leaning himself against the counter.

"And here I thought you were so obsessed with yourself that you wouldn't notice," Kakashi said equally relaxed, slouching in his chair, hand behind the back of his head, book in the other.

Sasuke mouth curled into a sneer.

"I'm not the dobe Kakashi. I see the way you look at her and the way she thinks she reciprocates your feelings.

"But she's wrong," Sasuke continued, checking for non-existent dirt under his nails. "You should have seen how eager she was to accept any little thing from me like a house on the Uchiha compound. You should have seen the way her eyes lit up with the hope that I could finally respond to her feelings. Kami, the way she gasped when she was beneath me. The way-"

Kakashi casually stood up to go check where Jenny was.

"Woo hoo, did I hit a nerve?" Sasuke crowed in a monotone.

Kakashi just gave an eye crinkle, placing his book in his pouch.

"While you think you are playing with her emotions, you are in fact delaying the inevitable: Sakura will end up with me," Kakashi said bluntly. "You lost your chance Uchiha and bitter isn't a good colour on you."

Kakashi strode out, not letting on to the last heir of the Uchiha clan, that he _had_ hit a nerve, that he _had_ cut through a chink in his armour.

That a little part of his heart chipped off at the thought of the pinkette's blind affections still for the Uchiha.

…o0o…

I thought that since we had time that I could brush my teeth while I collected my book.

Scrubbing my front teeth with the minty foam, I spat into the sink.

Rushing out of the bathroom, I collided with a bulky vest. I gasped and would have fallen on my butt if it wasn't for the steadying hand on my shoulder and the reassuring jet black eye and his masked face. I almost bit my tongue at the overwhelming sense of being, like my skin stretched properly over my skeleton for the first time. I tried to ignore it.

It seemed I couldn't even stay on my feet that day.

I shot him a grin. "Thanks, I was just coming by the way, we should probably get going."

Kakashi waved his hand in front of him to indicate for me to walk before him. I chuckled and walked to the front door where my new boots were.

Tying the laces I shouldered my pack with the help of Kakashi. Sasuke was curiously absent. When I asked after him, Kakashi's fingers twitched.

"He decided to go on ahead to the others to tell them we were coming."

I nodded.

We started walking and Kakashi began to read the orange book again. As we began to transverse the busy streets of a market he managed to weave through the crowd as well as if he had not been reading at all.

I followed in the wake of Kakashi's cuts through the crowd. When it finally quieted down again I turned to the grey haired man again.

"You _have _to teach me how to do that," I said awed.

Kakashi shot me an amused glance, "Do what exactly?"

"To read while walking of course."

Kakashi gave a rumbly chuckle. "Surely you don't want to begin a bad habit of ignoring people?"

I pished. "I doubt the ability to read while walking is going to mean I won't talk to people, I mean you manage to still to talk to me even though you are reading," I pointed out smiling up at him. "And I have to say it won't be too much of a loss."

Kakashi caught my blue eyed gaze with his blacker than black eye.

"And it won't be much of a loss because…?"

"Other humans are over rated," I sidestepped a lamp post, "There are hidden meanings in their language like they would be saying one thing, but mean another. Then there is the boring deadly dance of constantly having to find the 'other half', the constant back stabbing." I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "Sorry way to be depressing, but it's just easier to not deal with people all together."

I shot Kakashi a grin who returned it with the sight of his crow's feet.

"I think the reason you have lost faith in humanity is because you haven't been looking in the right places, the right corners for those right people. You have to look underneath the underneath," Kakashi said sagely.

"Oh?" I asked, spotting some gates at the end of the path where if I squinted I could see the slight pinkish hue of hair. "Could you give me an example?"

His index finger pointed at his chest, "I think I am a safe bet."

I snorted. "Of course you would say yourself, the bloody pervert and opportunist to take any girls' knickers."

"That is true. But I consider us friends." Kakashi gave a smile.

I raised my eyebrows. "In as little as three days?"

"Living together, I think, builds some trust to believe that the other won't kill you in your sleep." I raised my eyebrows further, "I don't believe we can be classified as mere acquaintances. Therefore we are friends." Kakashi shot me a classic grin.

"I'm sorry but did you say that the fact that I haven't tried to kill you in your sleep is the reason you consider us friends?" I asked, disbelief painting my tone.

"That is exactly what I am saying," Kakashi shot me another grin.

I sent my eyes heavenward, "I don't think I am going to win this argument, am I?"

Kakashi shook his head cheerfully, "You could try; that defeatist attitude doesn't suit you."

Luckily we were joined by Sakura, Sasuke and a blue eyed, blonde hair man.

"Jenny-chan!" the blonde enveloped me in a huge hug, "So glad you are okay! And I don't even mind you threw up on my orange shirt!"

I blushed and didn't know whether to return the hug or not but I was saved from having to make the choice by a pinkette thumping him over the head with her fist.

"NARUTO, YOU CAN'T JUST HUG SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW YOU!" she shrieked.

I winced and was tempted to cover my ears, instead I held my hand out to Naruto, who was clutching his head defensively.

"It's just Jenny. Hi," I smiled at Naruto who slowly lowered his hands and brought his to shake mine.

"You're really pretty," he said beaming.

"Oh, well," I blushed, releasing his hand. "Thanks."

"Another underneath of the underneath," Kakashi said lowly to me.

I sent him a glare and adjusted the pack on my back. I could look for people everywhere but it didn't matter how many places or corners Kakashi thought I needed to search, there weren't many people to trust.

"Come on then, let's get going." I said, "Sorry for being late by the way, _somebody_," I shot a glare at Kakashi, who continued to read his book, "Told me the wrong time."

"Nah doesn't matter, we're used to it," Naruto batted the apology away. "I hope he hasn't been a pervert to you, or I'll kick his ass!"

I found that extremely doubtful seeing as Kakashi seemed a man of many talents, one of which was paying attention when he was looking like he wasn't. I decided this morning catching me naked would fall under the 'kick his ass' category.

"Nah he's been okay,"

"Has he been reading that book in front of you?" Sakura cut in, shooting a meaningful glance at the orange book which was now in front of him.

"No?" I said slowly, unsure what the answer wouldn't get Kakashi in trouble.

Sakura scowled, shooting a glare at the grey haired man. "Kakashi you are meant to be entertaining her!"

Kakashi slowly looked up from his book and caught her gaze. There was a moment where energy crackled between them. I was feeling hot just by being caught in the neutral space where the sexual tension fizzed.

"Well she has been doing some light reading with some of my books and she has been fine with that," Kakashi drawled.

There was a stunned silence before everyone, not including Kakashi turned to look at me.

"You're a pervert too?" Naruto finally spoke.

Sakura raised a hand to hit Naruto but he, anticipating the move, darted behind me using me as a body shield.

I held my hands up instantly in surrender, worried that Sakura might still try to hit Naruto even though I was between them. "Whoa, innocent bystander."

I felt something being removed from my pouch and instantly made to grab at it but it was held aloft by Naruto, exposing the WARNING: CONTAINS EROTICA sticker on my book.

I face palmed, just wanting to just undergo cardiac arrest to escape this embarrassment.

"Pervert!" Naruto accused, pointing the book at me, a grin on his face.

I snatched it out of his hand, blushing.

"We should be meeting the clients in five clicks," Kakashi said, cutting off whatever I had been about to say. He turned his opaque eye to me. "Can you use chakra to keep up?"

"Uh I can glow in the dark?" I offered lamely.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head, hooking a hand through my elbow, he tugged me until I was right by his side. "I'll use a Teleportation Jutsu to the meeting place, everyone else run to catch up."

I panted sharply at the contact with Kakashi-

"…_wish you could have been there," someone whispered brokenly, "It was an awful exam, you would have aced it like usual." _

_I think I knew that voice. The beeping was still there. _

Securing me around the waist Kakashi made a lot of hand signals until the world was swirling and we had stopped.

_I kn-_

I flinched as we landed and I immediately went to the ground, retching. "Holy shit," I forced out between gags, "Don't _ever_ make me do that again."

Just being wrenched from whatever the hell that was, had worse effects than I cared. I stayed still, on all fours, just cursing my luck for being nauseous all the time. Jesus effing Christ.

After a few minutes of gagging, I pushed myself off my knees and stood up, wobbling slightly. I clapped a hand to my forehead, wishing the dizziness to subside.

After I finally opened my eyes and I saw, much to my dismay, I had a horrified audience, parents covering their children's ears, their mouths open.

I gave an awkward wave as if they hadn't just witness me try to throw up my organs.

"Hey."

The parents and children turned back to the wagons, resuming their places. However, in between the wagons every three or so, there was one wagon with covering, which none of the families went in.

I frowned, curious but brushed it off, knowing that it wasn't my place to sneak. I wasn't the ninja here.

I turned to Kakashi who was casually waiting by the tree.

"I really need to learn how not to throw up in front of you," I grumbled.

Kakashi gave another chuckle.

"Is this another skill that you wish for me to teach you?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah if possible."

Kakashi gave another throat chuckle.

I leaned against the tree beside him just taking in the bustle of the families continuing whatever they were doing before we came be it the children running around playing tag or the parents who talked in hushed whispers.

"Kakashi?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you bring me along on this mission?"

I heard a sigh and from the corner of my eye I saw him lower his book to his side. He tilted his head until it rested on the trunk behind him, his eye gazing at the branches and rustling leaves above us.

"I thought your skills would be valuable," Kakashi finally said.

"Really," I said flatly.

"No, but that is the only explanation you are getting at this point of time." Kakashi turned his head to me and shot me a cheery grin.

I rolled my eyes but let it go. Kakashi returned to his book and pulling out my one I began to read. It was at the boring traveling stage where he was to defend the king but he loved the princess. Damn forbidden love, no wonder Kakashi said it had an overused plotline.

We had been waiting for ten minutes.

Fifteen.

Twenty.

There was a brush of wind and Kakashi, without looking up, called, "Yo."

"You bastard!" Naruto spat, dripping with mud.

I tried to tamp down my grin and giggle almost failing. Sakura and Sasuke didn't look much better. They all looked like disgruntled drowned cats.

"Excuse me," a nasal voice called out to us.

We all turned to see a man with round glasses nervously push them back up his face and twist his hands together.

"May we leave now after three hour delay?" anger entered this weasel-like man's voice.

I frowned.

"Yes. Sorry for the hold up, there was an endangered firefly colony in Konoha so we had a last minute mission to round up enough males and females to continue the species. It took longer than expected." He gave the man a grin.

Slowly I turned to Kakashi disbelieving my ears, praying that he didn't make up such a blatant lie to this man.

"There are no males and females in the firefly species," the man huffed angrily, folding his arms across his chest.

Kakashi looking nonplussed and closed his book and put it back in his pouch again. "That's why Konoha's species are so special. There are males and females." God, I don't think Kakashi could have sounded anymore condescending.

The weasel bristled and turned back around to walk to the wagons, "Fine, but let's go."

Unconcerned, Kakashi brought out his book at thumbed back to the correct page. I did the same and we began to walk.

The skill to walk and read was one where it seemed riddled with obstacles, what with me tripping up on small roots, stubbing my toes on the rocks that were embedded in the ground and on one occasion my head smacked into a low hanging branch.

I hissed, "Ah motherfucker!" I rubbed my forehead.

"Careful there are children, firefly," Kakashi actually lowered his book to inspect the damage. I scowled at the sticking nickname. "Let me see."

"Fuck the children, that hurt!" I said, reluctantly lowering my hands so Kakashi could analyse if I was going to live or not. I flinched as Kakashi's thumb brushed over the slow forming bruise. The pain enlarged with the contact. I was really starting to hate any touch with the grey haired man.

Kakashi gave me a happy smile before he concluded, "I think you'll live."

I tried to duck out of the way as he ruffled my hair good-naturedly. In retaliation I tried to reach his head but I had to embarrass myself by pushing myself to my tip toes, which amused Kakashi to no end.

"Stop moving," I said angrily, trying to lean further over to grab at least one of his silvery locks.

Kakashi didn't even have the decency to look up from his book as he casually evaded me and gave me a cheeky bop on my already raised bruise.

"Ow!" I complained, daintily rubbing it, as if that would make it feel better.

Kakashi just chuckled and turned another page of his book. I rolled my eyes. _Jackass._

I returned to my book where _finally_ there was some sex. As I walked beside Kakashi, my head buried the book, I began to weave drunkenly.

I could feel Kakashi slowly looking up from his book out of the corner of my eye but I was enraptured by the description of the assassin banging the princess. Of course, the book described it as 'making love' but in all honesty, I think that is what the delusional call the natural instinct to screw. It was too romantic.

Silly really.

It was only when I was about to collide with a nearby wagon that Kakashi caught my elbow and gently steered me back onto the path of walking in a straight line.

I looked up gratefully but quickly turned back to the story.

"I think we have a long way to go until you learn how to walk in a relatively straight line," Kakashi said, his head buried in his book, walking straight as an arrow.

I shot him a sideways look before turning back to my book before Kakashi brought me back out of it by grabbing my elbow again, not once looking out of his Icha Icha, and steered me back onto the correct path.

Although the correct path had a particularly large root that, coupled with the weight of my pack and my momentum and overall clumsiness, I tripped.

I scrunched my face waiting for the inevitable impact of my face with the ground. Instead all I felt was the world going into a kaleidoscope of colours and then I was sucked into black.

_Where was I? _

_I heard that infernal beeping again and I wished someone would just turn it off already. _

_There was the slight sound of sniffles and I was scared. I couldn't see anything. Where was I? _

"_Hey Pigeon," a deep gravelly voice. I knew that voice. What was that voice to me? Why was the name Pigeon so familiar? _

"_Mum is doing better, doctors say that the chemo is really helping," they took a shaky breath. "Although she said she wished you were there, you know be the team player like usual." _

_They gave a shaky laugh and paused. They sighed and I waited with baited breath. I felt a pressure around my fingers. Well I think it was my fingers but at this point I couldn't tell. _

_Pigeon? Mum? Is-_

The arms around my body cradled me into the resistant vest and the hardened flesh beneath that.

"Maybe we should take a break from the lesson," Kakashi's low voice vibrated in my ear and for one traitorous moment the vibrations sparked electricity which went low in my belly.

I huffed an indignant breath out, trying to cover my aroused state up. "Fine, maybe we should."

I wormed my way out of the circle made by his arms. "I was getting to the boring bit anyway."

Kakashi arched a brow high until it was almost in his hairline and folded his arms, his orange book hanging comically from one of his hands still. We had stopped and the train of wagons continued on beside us.

"Boring? I can assure you none of my books are boring," he said, indignance lightly shading his tone.

I shrugged and began to walk again, "I have to say any book where it has a passage dedicated to just saying how much he loves the girl and is like maybe I should just leave her is bad." I shook my head, "One it is sappy and two if you _truly_ love her then there shouldn't be that whole debate on whether you should leave her or not. You would _want_ to stay, it would be the only feasible option."

"But he is giving the princess the option to _not_ choose him, to not stay with him," Kakashi argued.

"But she gave her maidenhead to him, she said how she wasn't ever going to give that to _anyone_ except the guy she loved. He is planning on putting her on the throne anyway after he killed her father and she said she held contempt for all the noble men, therefore she considers him the only option too." I stretched my arms above my head, "He is just being a whiny little bitch because he is scared of trying something that might make him happy." I sighed, letting my arms flop to my sides, "That is the only thing I hate about romance novels, they always make something out of nothing. The man wasn't brave, he was a coward."

Kakashi was silent as we walked together. "Through all the cynical bones in your body, I think there is at least one bone, no matter how small, will have the urge to romance."

"Cynical," I said instantly, "Very cynical, no sign of romance anywhere."

He gave a rueful chuckle, "One day you will find your man and you will wonder how you were so negative to the romance genre."

I snorted, "It's not like I'm negative towards the idea of love, I think that is very real concept. It's just that I don't believe love is for me." I gave Kakashi a smile, "It used to be a certainty when I was younger sort of like being a princess was a certainty. A fable."

Kakashi rolled his eye. "I take it back, you don't have one romantic bone in your body. A complete Harpy."

I smirked, "Oh, you. You say the sweetest things."

Kakashi was silent for a while so I turned my attentions to the procession beside me and I looked at the people we were meant to be escorting and noticed things, it was small but they were things that concerned me anyway.

The people were nervously darting their eyes to us all the time but when I caught them they quickly went back to whatever they were doing. They would stare at the covered wagons fearfully but again when they would sneak a glance towards me and noticed me observing them, they would pale, turning their attentions further away.

Thinking that Kakashi would be okay on his own, I went to see Sakura.

She was walking beside Sasuke and I frowned. She was twirling her hair much alike the way I saw her doing when we were leaving the hospital with Kakashi.

Realisation on who Sasuke was, I thought back to what Ino said the day before. _So yeah, he loves her but for how long if she keeps going off with Sasuke… _

I scowled at the oblivious pinkette.

I thought some intervention would be in order.

Worming my way right in between them, I gave Sakura an innocent smile, but when her attention was turned away I glowered right at Sasuke's eyes.

I made shooing motion to Sasuke. "We need some girl time, grumpy, let the women have their moment."

Sasuke gave a Sakura a look as if to say _are you actually going to let her get rid of me?_

There was a tension and it was different between Sasuke and Sakura, than between Kakashi and Sakura. It was thicker… more like the tension had been… satisfied and left wanting.

Sakura also made a shooing motion to him, a small smile on her face, lighting up her green eyes.

Sasuke snorted and walked to the other side of the train of wagons to talk with Naruto.

Sakura turned to me with a smile on her face. "So what's up?"

I leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I don't know about you but aren't you finding these people really skittish?"

Sakura waved away my worry with a hand.

"Don't worry, that's why we were called especially, we are here to protect them. They'll lose their nervousness by this time tomorrow, you'll see." Her expression darkened, "Although it would have probably been gone by now if Kakashi hadn't turned up later than usual."

My brow furrowed at the critical way she was talking about Kakashi.

"It wasn't his fault, we fell asleep reading on the sofa, he probably had an alarm in his room which we couldn't hear." I said defensively.

Sakura shot me a pitying look, one that I instantly hated. "You don't know him like I do," I bristled at the jab, "He always turns up late."

"If you knew him like you thought, you would know that your continued relationship with Sasuke hurts him." I shot back, wanting to one up her slightly.

Sakura leaned back at the force of my reply, shock making her eyes wide.

"He said he was fine and understood the need to continue my relationship with Sasuke, we had to keep the team together." Confusion lit up her face. I looked at her in disbelief.

Sakura then thought about it for a moment, sadness picking up on her face. "But you have to realise something: Sasuke is changing."

I nodded slowly, unsure of where she was taking this.

"Well, the other night, you know the one where you arrived and me and Kakashi had that fight?" I nodded again dreading the answer, praying she wasn't going to tell me how that tension between her and Sasuke was 'satisfied'.

"Well, Sasuke actually _comforted_ me," she gushed in a whisper, "he actually _held_ me until I calmed down. Not his usual awkward pats."

"Did anything else happen?" I asked.

She hesitated before saying "No."

Internally I flinched thinking the worst. Outwardly I nodded and pretended to be relieved. "Oh okay, that's good."

Maybe I was being a bit harsh. I mean I owed nothing to Kakashi other than he let me stay in his flat, borrow his clothes and books. Other than be really nice to me at every turn.

Okay so I owed a little bit to Kakashi but that didn't mean I had a right to meddle in his life. I nodded to myself. I decided I wouldn't interfere unless he asked it of me.

That resolved I turned back to Sakura. "How much longer do you think we will travel for?"

Sakura looked to the sky. "Well it's almost dusk now; most civilians prefer to travel when they can see so probably in about half an hour? Maybe less."

I nodded and continued to walk in silence.

"So how is living with Kakashi?" Saukra asked, readjusting her pack on her shoulders.

I shrugged, "Oh you know, we just read which is nice."

Sakura frowned, "Doesn't it get a bit boring?"

I laughed, "Well I am like I am old woman. I just like peace and quiet with the occasional bender."

Sakura sent me a mock scolding look, "Getting drunk on your own is no fun," she sent me a sly look, "So I suggest I join in."

I almost stumbled I was so surprised. For someone who couldn't buy a nice bra and bought for herself some granny knickers the size of America, I wouldn't assume she would like something as bad for your health as binge drinking.

"What?" I garbled.

"Yeah, we should go out drinking when we get back to celebrate our first mission together," she clapped her hands delightedly. "Then drink to our future missions."

I squirmed, "I don't exactly want to go on future missions."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, "Why not?"

I coughed and rubbed the back of my neck, "Well it's not like I have any qualifications and frankly I do not enjoy this."

I raised a foot which was caked in mud and the few cuts and scrapes heading up my legs meaningfully.

"And you think we do?" Sakura asked angrily, fisting her hands on her hips.

"Well there is a reason you trained for it," I narrowed my eyes slightly, "I don't know how to do this! The only thing I can do is customer service!"

"Well you could always work at Ino's?" Sakura offered, losing her aggressive stance.

"That's true, although I don't actually know what her store is," I scuffed my foot along the gritty dirt.

"Well her parents own the flower shop next door but Ino owns the café next to that for those wanting to have a sit down after having a browse of the flowers."

I hummed noncommittally. That sounded okay. I mean I would have to start saving up so I could let Kakashi have his space back, maybe so Sakura would come round more often.

I turned my attention to the wagons at our side.

"Why are we escorting them again? This doesn't look like there would be any bandits in this place. It's too tidy." I observed.

Sakura looked around too, frowning. "That is true." She shrugged. "Well whatever makes the citizens feel safer. In any case we get money for these missions and since the pay is low I doubt we'll run into too much trouble."

She shot me a wink just as Kakashi called for camp to be made. I heard many civilians sigh in relief and chattered amongst themselves, all saying how tired and hungry they were.

I was walking past a couple of wagons to put my bag by the camp fire Sakura was at when I heard them. A grunting, a moaning from one of the covered carts. Discreetly I checked around me for observers, I lifted the corner of the dirt covered canvas. Seeing what was inside made me recoil instantly, bile rising in my throat.

Mutilated animals, all of them.

They reminded me of those mice with human ears on their back but more gruesome, with them being fused with other animals but worse. It was like they didn't fit properly, like oddly shaped jigsaw pieces shoved together.

I stumbled to the camp fire where I was Sakura last and dumped my bag by the camp fire. I couldn't remember anything of the manga so I didn't know if those animals were the norm or if they were just as messed up as I thought they were.

I let my head fall into my hands. Did I bring it up with Sakura? Kakashi? I shook my head. I thought it was better to concentrate on not throwing up at that point. I closed my eyes before pushing myself up to find some people to distract me.

It was then that I saw two men talking loudly, not angrily, I saw one face was blanched in fear while the other was confident. I ducked behind a wagon, listening.

"…They definitely said that _he_ would leave us alone as long as we got Team Seven." One person said.

"What about the cargo?" _Cargo? Did they mean those poor animals?_

"Said he would pick it up when we actually reached our destination but right now all we need to care about is walking slow enough that they have time to set up."

"Well with how late they were at arriving, I think it won't be much longer."

I quickly turned to walk back the way I had come to go warn Kakashi when I hand clamped over my mouth.

I still tried to scream. A hand pinched over my nose so I couldn't breathe. I squirmed faster, desperate to oxygenate my lungs.

"Quiet now little lady, I don't wanta hurt ya," a male voice said behind me. "Come easy now and we won't hurt all these innocent fillies and boys. That's it, nice and slowly. Go to sleep."

I couldn't help but follow my instructions as I slipped into the blackness.

…o0o…

"Kakashi!" Sakura called, waving him over to sit by her.

He smiled and went to abandon his bag next to hers. He looked around.

"Where's Jenny?" he asked.

Sakura looked around and her eyebrows raised. "Well she was here earlier," she frowned spotting Jenny's bag on the floor beside hers. "Her bag's here so she's probably still around. She probably went to bathe without telling anyone."

Now Kakashi frowned. "Sakura you have to remember she might be ninja, did you ever think to keep an eye on her?"

Sakura looked to her feet. "I'm sorry."

"We just need to find her. Now." Kakashi got to his feet, eye already scanning the camp, seeing no bright blue flash of hair he went to search for his other team mates.

He found Naruto and Sasuke sparring by another camp fire. "Jenny is missing."

They immediately froze and turned to the grey haired man.

"Well we need to find her," Naruto's eyes blazed a bright blue.

"No shit dobe." Sasuke offered helpfully.

Naruto fisted his hands and glared, "Shut up teme!"

"Focus," Kakashi ordered, "we need to find her, she could be contacting enemy nin right now."

They nodded. "Sasuke search north and east. Sakura north and west. Naruto you stay here and guard the convoy. I'll search west, south and east direction.

"Meet back here in an hour. Now go."

With a solemn nod, they all dispersed. Kakashi sprinted in his direction.

He would never have guessed it was him until he accidently collided with one of the hooded caravans in which what made his blood go cold.

Mutations all of them. Sheep, cows, pigs. All mutated with another's quality like the cows had the manes of lions. This all resembled the early stages of…

"Orochimaru." Kakashi breathed in horror. But it couldn't be, he was dead.

Then he thought of the girl who could glow in the dark, the girl with the bright blue hair.

"Kami help us," he breathed and he sprinted with a new vigour, stretching his mind for any feel of her chakra signal as he searched for the leader of the convoy.

…o0o…

I awoke with a groan and for once I wasn't feeling nauseous, I just felt headachy and wished sorely for my bed.

Instead I was strapped to a chair that was uncannily like a dentist's alongside with a tray filled with different devices and with a slight hitch in my breathing I saw some pliers and a gleaming knife.

I wriggled a little just to make sure that I was tied down properly, before the door opened with a _clang!_

I froze. I tried to read the person's face but with a black mask it was hard to see their face.

Fear chipped my joints until they were so stiff from tension, my skin was alive with goose bumps as my adrenaline throbbed through every cell of my body. I was terrified.

"You are interesting my child," the voice was distinctly low so I could tell it was a man's.

I squirmed at the tone. "Really? I don't think so," I flexed my fingers, my voice getting higher with hysteria. "I am quite boring really, I mean I dyed my hair for God's sake to make myself seem interesting. Really, I am a very boring, a very lame person."

The black mask tilted to the side, "Who's God?"

I rolled my eyes. Why me? And why out of all my babble did he get who's God out of it? Honestly.

"Well no matter," the man continued, trailing a chilling finger down the flesh of my earlobe. I shivered in fright.

"You imagine my surprise when I hear of a girl, a girl who fell from the sky in a ball of light, made a crater as wide as the Hokage tower is tall." The man prowled around my chair, a hunter with his prey in his sights. "A girl with hair as blue as copper sulphide and a skin that _glows in the dark_. A girl who was able to maintain chakra constantly on the surface of her skin.

"Well, I said to myself, she would be an interesting addition to the collection of my old master," his finger now pressed itself over my collarbone and was going closer to my heaving chest. I bite my lip to try and keep my sob in. "See my old master loved interesting abilities, he had a woman who was able to control snakes at one point too.

"But I was rewarded greatly when I found that you were travelling with the famous Team Seven, the Kyuubi vessel, the last Uchiha, the Copy Nin and then finally the Hokage's apprentice herself. Truly, thank you." He smiled as his finger hooked on the hem of my t-shirt, pulling it slowly down. He breathed heavily. "I cannot believe a ninja would have such flawless soft skin."

I tried to see if some bravado would make some head way, at least until Kakashi came and found me. Well, I hoped.

"Just going to save you the effort now," I flinched hearing my voice waver, "I don't know how to control this-this _thing!_ I don't know how it works, _I don't know why I am here_."

There was a pause, the hunter was behind the startled deer, his finger abandoning its hold on my t-shirt. I breathed easier.

"Oh, well that's a shame," the man purred, I felt a trickle of sweat going down the small of my back in fear, "But we can always do some tests and see what happens."

My breathing quickened and I could feel the blood in my ears thrumming in a desperation for me to get out of there.

Without a warning, the man swiped the knife from the neighbouring table and sliced it across my left arm. I screamed in surprise and pain.

With a slight glance down to check where it was, what I noticed made my body still even though the agony kept killing my sensory neurones.

The cut was exactly where one of my old ones from the car accident were. I shuddered as I knew I had more than ten on just that arm alone.

I sobbed, my chest clenching as it knew that it would get stabbed eventually.

One part of my conscious kept trying to convince the less sane that maybe it was just a random cut that looked exactly like the ones before.

I struggled anew, knowing that I would have more cuts. The pain was slowly ebbing and I watched in awe along with my captor as we watched my skin knit together again slowly but surely until it looked like it never happened apart from the red-purple scar.

"Facinating," the man breathed, leaning in close until his lips almost brushed my tingling skin.

"Next one?" the sadist brought up the bloody knife again and tapped it against where his lips would be if the mask didn't hide his face. "What about something a little bit more internal?"

I shook my head frantically, "No please!"

Raising the knife above his head, some of my blood dripping in slow motion onto the floor with a slight spat, his eyes glittered dangerously.

Everything was happening too slowly. It was like my ears were muffled; I couldn't hear anything. My eyes couldn't seem to comprehend what he was doing until the knife pierced my chest with a thunk and splurt as my blood came pouring out.

I choked unable to breathe as one of my lungs filled up with blood, slowly drowning me.

I coughed and some blood dripped out of the corner of my mouth. The captor, the sick, messed up man raised the base of his mask so his lips were exposed.

They looked so normal, so like any man's that you wouldn't have thought that he was so twisted. The mouth came closer and closer until his lips stroked my cheek, a poor imitation of a lover's caress.

I strained away but I felt myself becoming weak as, miraculously, I felt my skin healing together, my lungs expelling the blood by forcing me to vomit. The metallic taste of my blood surrounded the entire cavern of my mouth.

I grimaced at the grossness before catching the gleam in the plain grey eyes before he leaned in and licked the trail of blood from the corner of my mouth, slowly sucking my skin.

"Please," I weakly leaned away, disgusted. It was like every healing took energy from me. "Please stop."

The man pulled away to give me a bare grin with his lips, his teeth actually white and straight.

"Oh, but I am just beginning," he hummed, sliding the knife hard against my opposite wrist, a hot knife through butter. He clamped a hand over my mouth containing my screams. "Shhh, I want your voice still perfect when we escalate the tests later."

A lone tear leaked out of the corner of my eye as I had to relive the pain of the car accident all over again except drawn out and without a death at the end.

Well at this point, I wished for it.

…o0o…

Kakashi slammed the weasel man against the caravan, Naruto snarling softly next to him. The weasel man scrabbled at his throat trying futilely to claw away the Kakashi's unbreakable grip.

"Where is he?" Kakashi asked lowly, outwardly looking like he was calm, bored at a stretch but to Naruto he saw the way that Kakashi's shoulders tensed and it wasn't from holding the thin man a metre off the ground.

"Who? I don't know what you are talking about," the man wheezed, his face purpling.

Kakashi lowered him to relieve the man's airways before slamming him hard into the ground.

The weasel gave a cry of pain.

"Where. Is. Orochimaru?" Kakashi spoke slowly, a dangerous glint highlighting the grey flints in his otherwise black eye.

"I don't know who that is!" the weasel cried, his eyes frantic as they darted to look anywhere but at Kakashi.

"Then where is Jenny?" Naruto asked from his side.

"Who's Jenny?" Hysterical, he gave another panicky cry as Kakashi unconsciously tightened his hold on his throat, "All we had to do was distract you long enough so he could grab the blue haired girl!"

"He?" Kakashi caught onto the slip, "Who's he?"

"The man with no name, the man with no face, no one knows who he is!"

Kakashi paused, leaning back slightly to give the man some air while he thought. So Jenny wasn't a spy, she was a victim in this and also it looked like Orochimaru's work. But Kakashi wasn't surprised; it wouldn't be the first time someone would appear dead and then turn out alive.

Shaking his head he turned to the petrified man below him, the one that lost his glasses a long time ago.

"Why did you have to distract us?"

"To get-" the weasel began.

"Yes, so he could kidnap the blue haired girl, but I mean," Kakashi applied pressure to the airways again, "Are you accomplices? Employees? Is he blackmailing you? Bribing?" Kakashi was losing patience.

"Blackmail," this was not said by the man below him but by a woman who had stood by and watched as this man below him had been manhandled. "Our village is constantly under threat from him, sending in new terrors. We offer our livestock so that he leaves the village alone for two maybe three months at a stretch. This is the first time he has he has demanded for something other than animals."

"Do you have a general idea where he lives?" Kakashi asked.

She hesitated. "We think it's Blackwell Mountains."

"Why there?" Naruto blurted out next to Kakashi.

The woman turned to the Kyuubi vessel, a slight look of contempt on her face.

"There are howls, cries for the past year," the man underneath wheezed, "Right after when demands for livestock were demanded."

Kakashi pushed himself to his feet scanning the treeline hoping Sakura would come back soon, and (he would deny this if ever questioned) Sasuke especially.

"How many miles?" Kakashi turned to the woman, allowing the man underneath him start to pick up the pieces of his ego which had been so rudely broken by his pushing.

"It's about two day walk without the wagons," she replied.

Kakashi pulled the map out of his pocket trying to locate the mountains, the woman leaned over his shoulder and pointed with a dainty, clean fingernail.

Kakashi paused. Famers and civilians didn't have clean nails, most had chipped and sometimes broken. Whipping out his kunai, he already found one held at his throat.

They were surrounded. He could sense who were the civilians and who were the ninja, the civilians huddled towards the carts and the ninja, huddled towards Naruto and Kakashi, crowding them.

"You might as well give up," the woman sneered into his face. "It's a ten to one odds."

Kakashi acquiesced by dropping his kunai with a thud. The woman gave him a smirk and the relaxing of the elbow on her part, thinking the threat was stabilised.

She was wrong.

The lowering of her guard allowed Kakashi to slam his left palm into the weak joint of her elbow while the other smacked the forearm causing it to break in a sickening snick.

She gave a howl of pain and tried a punch with her working arm, which Kakashi casually side stepped, ducking instinctively as he heard the betraying whistle of a kunai being thrown, which buried itself in the wooden cart behind him.

Using his momentum, he slid a leg out to send a crippling kick to the woman's knee sending her to her hand before he raised his knuckles to crash into her temple, knocking her out.

Kakashi barely had time to recover before he stomached a kick which, much to the surprise of the owner of the leg, he grabbed the ankle and dragged the enemy nin forward into the one eyed man's awaiting fist.

Loading chakra into his hand, he pivoted and swung the limp body into five charging ninja. Knocking them all down save one, who leaped to run alongside a nearby caravan, sebon clutched in his fists, almost resembling spikey claws.

With a wide arc, the ninja brought one metal laden fist, causing Kakashi to spring into the air to avoid being turned into a pin cushion.

The enemy ninja, landed where Kakashi was previously and looked up in time to see Kakashi's booted foot slam into his nose, breaking it, his eyes to blurring.

Using the enemy nin's face as a launching pad, Kakashi leaped into the fray where his ex-student was attacking remarkably well. Sliding a knife between the ribs of one more ninja, propelling himself to the next enemy, barely bending backwards in time as a kunai darted in front of his face, where his face was beforehand.

Sending a cheeky wink to the ninja who just threw the piece of metal, the last thing he saw was a red eye swirling and he fell to the ground sleeping.

The fight, taking no more than a few minutes, both him and Naruto were surrounded with either groaning or bleeding bodies.

"We need to find Sakura and the teme," Naruto said, barely out of breath.

Kakashi nodded, retrieved his pack and Sakura's and Naruto hauled Sasuke's in addition to his own on his back.

They were about to run into the forest when one of the cowering civilians rushed up to him.

"Wait!" they called, "How are we going to get to the next village without an escort, he will know that you beat his nin!"

Kakashi rolled an eye down at the man.

"You aided in the kidnap of one of Konoha's citizens, at this point in time you aren't the priority. I can safely assume that they won't come looking for you in more than a day and a half. We'll be back by then."

Just then Naruto and Kakashi heard a rustle in the bushes and immediately crouched in a defensive stance.

Then out of the woods came a giggling Sakura and a serious Sasuke. Sasuke's arm around her shoulder.

Kakashi felt the blow to his lungs, his breath coming out pained but was hidden by the mask. The cavity where his heart used to lie now allowed the blood to fill it, the muscle no longer working to pump the blood around the body as the owner seemed to not have the drive to continue such an inane task. Looking down at his feet, he chucked Sakura's bag at their stunned feet.

"Jenny has been kidnapped," Kakashi said, his voice bearing no inflection, nothing to tell a Sakura how he felt about her holding Sasuke's hand. "We need to go to the Blackwell Mountains. Now."

Without a word more, he turned and began in the direction of the mountains, to the cynical blue haired girl.

Naruto shook his head and threw Sasuke's pack with an equal amount of force to the ground beside Sakura's.

Sakura looked up with tears in her eyes, searching Naruto's gaze for, well she didn't know.

"That was cruel Sakura, even for you." Saying nothing more, he jogged up to catch up with the Copy Nin.

Wordlessly, Naruto laid a hand on Kakashi's arm. "I'm sorry."

Kakashi turned to him and gave him such an eye crinkle that it must have hurt. "Sorry about what?"

Naruto stared unreadably for a moment before speaking.

"I may not be as smart as Sasuke but I still would notice if my teammates started hanging around more often, shooting those lovesick eyes at each other," Naruto teased lightly.

Kakashi rolled his eyes heavenward, but gave an accepting pat to the hand on his forearm. "I am but an old man, it was silly thought." Turning to judge the trajectory of the rising moon, he popped a soldier pill into his mouth and pivoted to see Sakura and Sasuke catching up but slowly. "Come on love birds, we need to make good time."

It pained him to retract until he was in the friend zone again for Sakura and she looked hurt that he seemed not to care.

_She has nothing to feel hurt about. She chose who she wanted. _

_And it just so happened that it wasn't me._

Resolved to focusing on saving his roommate, he began to spring through the trees as lithe as a hare, ducking and swaying to avoid the branches.

_Hold on firefly, we're coming_.

..o0o…

_So I am in black… but where am I? _

_There was that beeping still and it was consistent, steady ever being like a boxer's gloves against a bag, like the wind whistling its winding way through the trees… like a heartbeat. _

_The sobbing was gone which was a relief. Always hated crying. It was awkward and emotional. A piece of the soul which could only be expressed through emotions._

_Whoa, when did I get so poetic? Must be because I have _way_ too much free time on my hands. _

_There was also a steady whirring noise, something that was always too faint for me to catch, even when I touched Kakashi. _

_That was another clue: whenever I touched Kakashi sometimes, I was sent here. _

_I tried to frown but it was like I didn't know how to make that expression any longer. _

_It wasn't actually all the time that I fell here, but all of the times, I am sent here whenever I was touching him. My body felt like it was here even if my vision and hearing was with him. _

_Oh well, as long I wasn't back in the torture chamber. _

_I could feel my body wishing to tremble but couldn't. I sighed internally. This was going to grow old pretty soon. _

_I wonder if Kakashi would even come. He owed me nothing, in fact all the owing was on my side for him. _

_Still, I hope he does._

…o0o…

Kakashi was covered in the blood of most of the guards, some pent up frustration meant that he could freely take it out on these people without yelling to the high heavens how angry and hurt he was with Sakura.

"Kakashi, I think we need to talk," Sakura panted beside him, as they were running down the hallway.

Sasuke and Naruto were exploring the other wing while he and Sakura were searching this one.

Movement caught the corner of his eye and using the wall he propelled himself until his boot neatly clipped the man's temple followed by another crash from his fist to ensure his unconsciousness.

Kakashi landed, never breaking a stride and never looking at the pink haired woman. "I don't think this is the time for the talk," he said, slipping some sebon down his sleeves to be snatched in between his knuckles readily. "I just hope you use protection."

"Kakashi!" Sakura cried horrified and lost her composure, lost her alertness and it was only because Kakashi slid under Sakura's slender arm and pushed up to puncture the ninja's lungs did Kakashi swivel.

"This is not the time, Sakura!" Kakashi hissed, his black eye flashing. "We have an innocent girl probably dying at Orochimaru's hand or some kind of copycat and you want to discuss your love life with the bastard?"

Sakura's mouth dropped open a bit and grappled to say something. Kakashi didn't give her the chance and was sprinting off down another hallway, kicking open doors, scanning them and rushing onwards.

"So the truth finally comes out: you don't like me with Sasuke." Sakura puffed next to him.

"Well what did you expect Sakura?" Kakashi snarled, "you thought I would be happy that all the time you were saying that you were getting over him and falling a little more in love with me, you were probably fucking him behind my back."

"It wasn't fucking," Sakura coupled her own growl with a chakra powered kick to the chest of a nin who powered out of a nearby room, collapsing his chest. "It was making love."

"So you were?" Kakashi asked, disbelieving what he was even hearing. He gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I can't believe Jenny was right."

He grunted as he cracked his knuckles against another faceless ninja.

"What has she got to do with anything?" Sakura cried, a little jealousy sneaking through her tone.

"She just said something very true is all," Kakashi said, cracking open the last door and froze seeing a familiar bloody body, strapped to a chair.

Racing in, he started slicing the straps off, he felt her forehead and it wasn't feeling feverish. Reassured he continued to saw through the thick straps.

"Beauty we have-" the man who came in stopped speaking and froze seeing Kakashi by Jenny.

If anyone could see under Kakashi's mask they would see his mouth curling into a baring of teeth.

The man ran and before Kakashi knew it he was tackling the man to the ground, flipping him over punching him one after the other in his face, using chakra only to protect his sore knuckles.

There was something tugging at his arm and it was only when he felt a punch glowing green, knocked him off the captive did he stop his onslaught on the descipable man beneath him.

Sakura looked down on him her chest heaving. "We need to take him in for questioning, not beat him to death."

Kakashi huffed pushing himself to his feet, Sakura tried to come towards him her hands glowing green with chakra all ready to heal the injury inflicted by her.

Too bad, she couldn't heal the soreness of rejection.

Kakashi batted her hands away. "I'm fine. Pick him up and come with me."

"As a med-nin-" Sakura began outraged.

"And as your captain and ex-sensei, do as I say." Kakashi stared down at her, his eye flinty.

Sakura flinched back a step and with a wounded face she bent to pick the body of the bloody man up.

Kakashi strode back into the room which stank of blood and tears. Combing back some bloody strands from Jenny's forehead, he inspected for head damage.

After placing the man's body on the ground, Sakura's hands were illuminated and she hesitated before proceeding forward after one check to see if Kakashi was still okay with her healing Jenny.

After a brief nod, she pressed her hands against Jenny's skin and she leaped back with a yelp.

"Sakura?" Kakashi stood, almost reaching for her before placing his hands back at his side. "Are you okay?"

Sakura hunched over her hands cradling them, "I don't know. It was like she shocked me."

Kakashi frowned and looked to his hands still straightening Jenny's knotted locks. "Maybe the chakra blocks your chakra creating some kind of electric charge?"

Sakura's brow furrowed, "But what about healing her?"

Kakashi shook his head before she finished speaking. "We just have to hope that she'll be okay for the time being as we move her, our first priority is getting out with all our team with enough chakra for another possible battle with that guy's," he pointed at the prone body at her feet, "Minions."

Kakashi gently pulled Jenny's body onto his shoulder, nodding to his partner, they rushed out of the compound.

…o0o…

I awoke lying on grass. I sat upright, my eyes darting around, searching for danger.

"Yo," a touch on my ripped shoulder, my senses went onto overload, I couldn't compute with all the colours flooding through my vision. I was breathing deeply, trying to oxygenate my dizzy head.

"Don't touch me!" I cried, scooting backwards on my hands, my eyes traitorously flooding with tears and my chest tightened with tension.

I couldn't decide if it was relief that he was here, pain that I had my wounds again, disgust at my body, grief for the reminder of my sister. It didn't matter, I just couldn't in function my mouth to form a sentence, it was too busy open in a silent animal cry.

Finally, a moan came out.

I sobbed quietly, crossing my arms over my chest, cupping my elbows, my shoulders shuddering from the force of my weeps, resting my back against a rough surface. A tree, from what I could gather in my damaged state.

This continued for minutes, hours, centuries. I couldn't tell. Just the thought of trusting another human with my voice, my skin, my attention… I shuddered. I just couldn't stand it.

I hiccupped and it was only when my breath was slowing down that I heard Kakashi was whispering lowly comforting words at least five metres away from me, no sign of possible contact. "Shhh, it will be okay. It is okay. We are here. I am here. Shh, you are fine. You are safe. _You are safe_."

Finally, my tears ebbed and rubbing my tears away, I sent him a watery smile. "You came. I hoped you would."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, falling back from his crouch on the balls of his feet until he was sat on the ground opposite me. He sat at least a metre away, his hands loosely connected between his knees, his elbows hooked over the knee caps.

We probably looked like a pair: me curled up in a ball resting against the tree trunk and Kakashi in the open, waiting for me.

"Well I had to collect another female for the endangered firefly colony in Konoha," he said a grin, sliding up to his eye.

I chuckled weakly, swiping my probably blotchy face one last time before I crawled over to him and curled up in the rough circle made by his legs and I hugged him around his waist.

I tried to nuzzle into the touch, my emotions were slightly more bearable so I could stomach touching him but was blocked by a particularly bulky and annoying vest.

"Do you mind if you unzip this please?" I asked in a small voice, my finger flicking the zip, not once looking up into his face. I knew if I looked into his face, all I would see is disgust, disgust at my new body, no longer flawless. No longer smooth. No longer a normal.

Kakashi didn't answer, instead his capable fingers opened his vest with obnoxious _ziiiippppp_.

Parting it slightly, I pushed my hands under so I could feel his touch, feel the realness of a good person, of a friend.

I linked my hands on the small of his back and pressed my face into the less abrading fabric of his shirt. Kakashi didn't move his hands from his sides.

"Do," I hesitated, I pulled my face away from his chest to look slightly up at him. His face was unreadable. "Do you mind holding me?"

Wordlessly, Kakashi cupped the back of my neck, guiding me towards his chest again, his other sliding to hold my waist. And he held me.

I sighed in relief, the ease of pressure in my chest almost made me cry again. I subtly scrubbed my cheek back and forth against the soft fabric and felt the heat of his skin through that barrier. I scented the soothing smell of his spearmint and tea tree, a mixture of sharp and sweet.

"How could I ever begin to thank you?" I asked softly. "Please tell me how I can start my eternal servitude." I tried to finish with a light joke but it came out flat.

Kakashi silently, stroked my hair back from my forehead comfortingly. "Well, being the entrepreneur that I am," Kakashi lowered his voice to my ear, his breath hot on my skin, "I could do with some of your knickers."

The laugh was wrenched out my chest unwillingly but it was so sudden I couldn't help but laugh and rub my face a little harder into his chest, sinking into the feeling of his voice rumbling through his shirt onto my skin.

"God you are such a dick," I chuckled weakly again.

The stroking paused for a moment.

"Who is this God you keep mentioning?"

I laughed again and tightened my hold. "I missed this."

"You were only away for a few hours."

I looked up at him, just taking in everything about him from the way the silvery hair rivalled that of the moon, from the way that eye was so expressive yet hidden. Everything.

Kakashi cupped the back of my neck again guiding me back to his chest giving calming rubs on the small of my back.

"You were right by the way," Kakashi said suddenly.

I tilted my head back to see his chin, "Yeah? How's that?"

"Girls _are_ bitches," he said firmly, tightening his hold on my body.

I sniggered resting my forehead on his chest again, "That we are my friend, that we are."

Kakashi slowly reclined so as not to startle me and lay on his back, with me tucked in his side.

I yawned a jaw breaking yawn.

"Go to sleep firefly, dawn is coming."

His voice lulled me in, I couldn't even find it in me to complain about the nickname. I tried to protest that I wasn't tired but it was kind of ruined when I stuttered through my argument because of several yawns.

"The best medicine out there is sleep," Kakashi whispered wisely, stroking my hair still.

Kakashi chuckled and I burrowed my head on his shoulder trying to find the best position before, in my sleep deprived mind thought it would be a good idea to rest on his chest.

Kakashi paused in his strokes, allowing me to settle before beginning again.

Nestling into his warmth, I finally drifted off into the first comfortable sleep in twenty four hours.

…o0o…

There was a pause in the rustle of the trees and Kakashi was feeling light, like his entire body was filled with helium. Like his body was trying to rise to the sky. It was so very odd.

It was like his mental consciousness got more blurry too. It was disorientating to say the least.

The copy cat's minions didn't even turn up in the end and they continued on their own to the other village comfortable, meaning that Team Seven could begin its journey back.

It hadn't exactly been awkward per se between the team, more like there had a line drawn and each side was wary to cross it.

Sasuke appeared oblivious and so probably came the closest to actually cross the line never mind intentionally. Next came Naruto who would be talking with his teme before he would suddenly cut off with a large scowl which he shot between Sasuke and Sakura, he was the next who came close to crossing the line.

Sakura seemed very aware of the line drawn and was distraught and tried to begin many conversations with all the teammates save one grey haired man. However, Sasuke being the antisocial bastard he was, he generally ignored any attempt made by the woman and Naruto being angry with Sakura meant that he tended to respond with monosyllabic answers.

That left Kakashi. Kakashi silently expressed his desire not to talk with her about her and Sasuke, then Sakura was too embarrassed to even consider making the first move no matter how much she wanted to.

Kakashi lolled his head to the side and spied on Sakura's body lit with the fire's light and saw how stiff her body was and knew she was awake. Kakashi sighed.

"We might as well get this over with now, so it doesn't interrupt training," Kakashi said tiredly, his eye drooping further down.

Sakura instantly rolled over and as she caught sight of Jenny who was still nestled in the crook of his shoulder, her hand pale against the black fabric.

"Why did you ask for her knickers?" Sakura hissed angrily, her eyes flaring into a cat's green.

Kakashi sighed and looked to the sky for support. "It is a joke between me and her."

"Doesn't mean it's appropriate, especially after," she lowered her voice, "especially after saying you loved me."

"You know what else isn't appropriate? Fucking behind my back," Kakashi said blandly

"It was making love!" Sakura bristled, sitting up. "And it wasn't like you were there for me."

Kakashi seemed not to react other than continuing to stroke Jenny's hair.

"I only did it to make you jealous," Sakura whispered, her fingernail digging into the soft ground, avoiding his steady gaze.

"That was poor tactics on your part," he said lowly, his pinkie getting caught in a messy knot just behind Jenny's ear. "Your actions were the ones of a petty child."

"Well how can I not be jealous?" Sakura almost spoke before lowering her voice again. "I saw the way you were with her earlier, the way you guys were flirting, you lent her one of your books which is a as rare as a blue moon and you almost had sex!"

"There was no 'almost' about it," Kakashi rumbled quietly. "'Almost' means that I would've contemplated it but in reality it wasn't even an option because I believe in being at least a little loyalty is required when you are 'going slow'."

He didn't need the Sharigan to see that Sakura was blushing. His eye wandered back up to the large dome that he could see lighting up with the dawn light.

The lightheaded feeling was increasing from prolonged contact with the blue haired girl curled up by his side and for a moment he closed his eyes-

_Martin awoke with a start, shaking his head, he turned to the side and saw his girlfriend Saskia continued to be curled up on the corner of the bed. _

_With a huff of frustration at having this same recurring dream he went into his ensuite, reaching over the sink he wetted his hands to rub tiredly over his face. _

_He looked up at the mirror to see something he always hated: the shrapnel scars decorating his chin and one that scored across just left to the middle of his mouth and the one bisecting his left eye cleanly. But the worst was the sight of that cloudy eye, the tell-tale sign that he was blind. _

_He saw the way his pink haired girlfriend flinched every time she saw it and she was a nurse as well, someone used to seeing indescribable injuries. It hurt. _

_He fisted a hand in his grey locks. Another thing he hated. The year tour took its toll on his stress levels. Thirty four and already looking as old as Gramps. _

_He sighed again. Why was I having these dreams? _

_I haven't read the Naruto manga in years, so why was I suddenly having vivid ones and who was the blue haired girl? Martin couldn't remember her ever being there and why was it that he depicted himself as Kakashi? _

_If he was completely honest with himself, it wasn't like his dream scape made a whole lot of sense. For example, the blue haired girl said God most of the time yet when he was Kakashi, it was like he couldn't remember the colloquial language of today. _

_Martin wetted his hands and rubbed his face again. Cupping the back of his neck with his hands he tilted his head back to look up at the ceiling where the fluorescent light blinked unevenly. _

_His therapist would tell him to write everything down, a way to deal with his PTS. _

_Martin rolled his eye. Yeah, like he was going to give her another reason why he should keep attending the therapy sessions. _

_He shook his head. I'll just make some bullshit of eating some cereal or something. Wasn't that what normal people dreamed about?_

_Martin had to say he hadn't had a normal dream in a couple years, he didn't even think he could remember the last time he had a normal dream without it being a night mare where people weren't blowing up in front of his very eyes. _

_Martin switched off the bathroom light and made his way blindly (he snorted) towards his bed where his pink haired girlfriend lay._

_He gave another shake of his head before climbing into next to Saskia. _

_Maybe he was more like Kakashi than he realised. _

_Martin buried his head under the covers and allowed himself to be dragged unwillingly into dream land, hoping that maybe he would have good normal filled dreams rather than the terror filled ones or weird blue haired filled Naruto ones. _

_Hopefully._

…o0o…

When I woke next, I felt funny. Not as in nauseous, or pain filled but feeling more alive. It was odd like every breath I took in now felt like I was filling my lungs more fully. It didn't make any sense. There was also an odd sense of not being, like I had forgotten to do something, or not being completely… content.

I rolled onto my back and I was staring at a brightening blue sky. I gave a little smile and pushed myself so I was sitting upright. I looked for Kakashi but he was absent but not Sakura, she was curled up on the ground, her hands under her face, her knees tucked up to her chest, her breaths soft.

I heard the sound of trickling water. Curious, I crawled to where I could see water lapping lightly on the stream bed, slightly slithering over the slippery stones.

I pressed my fingers into the icy water and it was like I could feel relief. Finding my feet bare already, I wobbled as I pushed myself to my feet, prepared to wade into where it looked like it went up to mid-calf which was quite a ways in.

Delighted with the way the water seemed to change its direction when blocked with my skin, the way it chose to flow around me rather than hit straight on. I wiggled my already numb toes jubilantly. I took a deep breath, revelling in the way my senses seemed sharpened, like I had suffered with a cold and I was beginning to breathe again.

I giggled and gave a slight kick to the water, sending water droplets to arc over my head and then splatter on my arms.

At the sight of my arms, my heart dropped into my feet, gnawed its way out of my already ruined skin to float down the river.

They were truly ugly but I was familiar with their unsymmetrical repetition. From their slices and awkward hacks to the large stiches, the punctures on my chest, then the raw meat that was my stomach. They said it was a miracle I made it out alive.

They said it would have taken a true miracle to save her.

They chose to save me rather than her. They chose to save the one with the less extensive wounds. They chose to save me. Me, unworthy of each and every stich while she bled out on the ground next to me.

Me.

I collapsed to my knees, my head bowed as my tears trembled through me. I was uncaring of the water that swam around my hips, my eyes leaking more into the water below me.

I dashed my hands against the water below me, raging against the unfairness. Fuck it. Just. Fuck. It. All.

I allowed my face fall into my hands, weeping, whispering. I leaned further forward. Maybe I could drown…

I felt rather than heard the shouts. I could feel the vibrations of the sound waves but I couldn't even begin to sort it out into words.

I felt arms encircle me and pick me up, towing me towards the shore, my legs trailing a dead weight.

Dead. Grief welled up in me again and I couldn't help but begin to sniffle again, scrabbling at my skin, just wanting out of it.

Hands demanded my attention, securing my wrists in one hand, trying to lean their face into my line of vision, but I resolutely turned my face away, not even wanting to see the typical pity and revulsion of my marred skin. Hell, even I couldn't look at my skin without feeling that.

I felt a stinging slap to the face, numbly I looked up to see Kakashi's normally droopy eye, widened. Sakura's usually friendly face, the cold one of a stranger's.

I looked to my wrists where I saw they were gripped by the gloves of Hatake Kakashi who released them when seeing I was more in control. Or more zombie-fied, less reactive.

I looked further to the ground where I saw my feet turning a slight blue hue from the cold. How long was I in there?

I tried tuning into the conversation.

"…do you think you are doing?" Sakura's muffled voice scolded. "You could have gotten pneumonia."

"I wouldn't," I said tonelessly, looking past her, my eyes boring lifelessly into the tree trunk opposite me. "I found my skin doesn't just glow in the dark. It heals."

"Heals?" Kakashi cut in questioningly.

Wordlessly, I picked up an abandoned kunai from the ground and began to wordlessly cut my skin continually.

Kakashi swore, wrestling the weapon from my hands. I fought to keep it, to keep satisfying that empty part of me that was begging for more, abandoning his, I tried for Sakura's. She batted my weak hands away easily, shock on her face.

I slumped to the ground, curling in on myself and I exposed my arm for their inspection, I was barely feeling the pain, only experiencing a sense of burning. I could hear their rough intakes of breath as they watched my skin sew itself back together, the only sign of there being an injury in the first place was my blood running rivulets down with gravity to the dirt below.

"See?" I said, no inflection in my tone.

Kakashi spoke low into Sakura's ear and she tried to argue back but Kakashi probably gave her a look that meant she surrendered easily, giving up what appeared to be… bandages?

My confusion seemed to cut through my numbness and I could feel my skin stretch as my brow creased.

"What-?" I began to ask as Kakashi uncoiled them expertly and started to wrap them around my hand, covering one of my scars and started to work his way up.

Slowly, Kakashi wrapped the entirety of my right arm, covering my scars from view. He then turned his attention to my left and started the whole process again.

When my skin and scars were hidden, he looked me in the eye, raising his hand he deliberately lifted up his eye patch, exposing a swirling red eye.

"Sleep," I felt the command and although I struggled, I couldn't help but fall forward into the waiting arms.

* * *

><p><strong>Ooooo, what is happening to Jenny?<strong>

**Who is Martin? **

**And just warning, i have premade chapters, and I'm not actually this good at updating, i just want more responses to this story :3 **

**~JustThatKindOfSpecial**


	5. Stay With Me

Stay With Me

**Slowly, Kakashi wrapped the entirety of my right arm, covering my scars from view. He then turned his attention to my left and started the whole process again. **

**When my skin and scars were hidden, he looked me in the eye, raising his hand he deliberately lifted up his eye patch, exposing a swirling red eye. **

"**Sleep," I felt the command and although I struggled, I couldn't help but fall forward into the waiting arms.**

…o0o…

I really had to stop waking up like this. I found myself strapped to a more familiar hospital bed, my arms still bandaged but with a more familiar view out of the window. I was back in Konoha.

I looked at my feet. They were still bare but they had taken my blasted clothes again.

I growled and turned to the bands on my wrists, I saw they were the heavy durance bands that the masked man gave me on the dentist's chair. I shuddered thinking about him.

I looked up hopefully when I saw the door open, instead of anyone familiar it was a nurse, carrying a clipboard and a small white box. She wheeled a small white stool from the corner of the room and perched on its edge right next to me.

Placing the clipboard on the bedside, she opened the box and out came the needle.

My eyes widened and the adrenaline started pumping through me at the same time as my heart beat. I struggled, pulling away, my eyes never once leaving the needle. She grasped my arm in a firm grip.

Hysteria was crawling up my throat and finally came free. I screamed bloody murder.

The nurse looked up startled her thumb on the plunger.

"Someone help me!" I screamed desperately, still trying to dislodge her hold on my arm. I thrashed about on the bed causing the hospital bed to bang loudly against the wall.

Sakura came rushing in to see what was the problem along with a team of nurses. Seeing the bewildered nurse sitting beside me, she relaxed but rushed over to me, running a soothing hand across my already sweaty forehead from the fear of the woman next to me.

"Shhh, shhh," Sakura reassured me, running a hand over my blue hued hair. "She's only taking some blood for some tests."

I writhed more vigorously at the mention of 'tests'.

"LET. ME. FUCKING. GO!" I roared. "I AM NOT TAKING ANY MORE FUCKING TESTS. YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR FUCKING TESTS CAN DO? GO SHOVE THAT NEEDLE UP YOUR-"

"Now this is interesting," a familiar voice drawled from the side breaking off my fear induced rant.

Everyone looked to the left where the familiar village pervert slouched on the windowsill, one leg propped up, while the other dangled precariously into the open air on the other side, his heartening orange covered smut book open before that one eye.

Relief had never come so hard and fast.

"Please," I whispered brokenly, "Please don't let them."

"Kakashi-" Sakura began.

"Everyone clear out." He ordered, straightening from his position.

"Kakashi-" she tried again, her mouth curled into a snarl.

He literally just shooed her out too. "You can come back in a minute to do all your medical voodoo but for now, I would like a talk with my friend while she's not hysterical." He raised a challenging eyebrow.

Sakura started to protest but cut herself off with a bite to her lip, an odd expression covering over her face. It was almost like… guilt? "Five minutes."

With a dramatic twirl causing her lab coat to flare out behind her, she walked out of the room.

I turned my terrified eyes to Kakashi. "Please don't let them test on me. I am begging you."

Kakashi shook his head. I feared the worst. "I would never let them do that to my little firefly," Kakashi teased and walked over to me and began to unbuckle the cuffs.

The smile I sent him was so blinding that I swear I could have defeated the sun. I didn't even care about the nickname. He rolled his eyes. Hooking a hand underneath my knees and across my bare back he lifted me, walking towards the window.

"Do you care if you have your clothes or not?" he asked, already prepping to what looked like leaping out of the window.

I shook my head, just desperate to leave that damned hospital, although I tightened my hold on his neck as I looked out of the window, apprehensive.

Kakashi casually stepped out into the open air.

I clenched my eyes tight shut just waiting for the impact and instead of feeling my body slamming into the pavement, I felt the wind begin again and I was jumping up and down. I opened my eyes slightly to see that we were now running and to my relief I saw that it was towards Kakashi's flat.

Bounding up the treacherous steps, I held on extra tightly, before I was released until my toes touched the already warm stone ground. I smiled and looked up to my saviour, quickly removing any sign of my earlier terror with a hurried hand. Kakashi gave me that signature eye crinkle and opened the door to our flat.

I immediately rushed to the cheap sofa and flopped face first onto it. I groaned.

"You okay?" an amused voice said from the door.

I grunted in agreement.

"Do you want a shower?"

Another grunt.

"Are you going to move?" his voice sounded closer.

A pause. "Eventually."

Kakashi gave a low chuckle before he gave a flick to what I forgot was a backless hospital gown. I squeaked and rolled over so my back was covered or more specifically my butt.

"You didn't have to move just for me," Kakashi said mildly, pulling out his book.

I rolled my eyes, "Pervert."

"Careful," he said, not once looking up from his porn, "my feelings might actually get hurt."

I snorted and slowly backed away from him cupping my bottom as if that was going to hide anything from him.

"I am going to go and shower, after that, I am going to make you my special Hanky Panky Pancakes for a thank you," I gave the back of his head a grin wondering how he would react.

Kakashi actually graced me by leaning his head towards me, his droopy eye boring into me. "Hanky Panky Pancakes?"

I smiled sheepishly, "Well it's what's my friends dubbed it after continually walking past my flat after doing the walk of shame…" I shrugged, "So I guess it just stuck."

"I thought you lived in fields," Kakashi arched his brow questioningly.

I flushed, "That was before I got a flat."

I quickly made my departure into his large bathroom, before I made anymore slip ups and studiously avoiding the mirror; I untied the back of my hospital gown, allowing it to fall to the ground with a crinkle.

I sighed and my hands wavered over the bandages of my arms, undecided whether to take them off. With a depressed slump of my shoulders, I left them covered and cranked on the water, hand under the fall of water, feeling the temperature warming up.

Standing there, it was like the thrum of water against the tiles at my feet, meant that I had the time to think over the last five days much to my horror. My skin squirmed as I thought of knifes across my skin. I cupped my fabric bound elbows.

Heaving a breath, I was determined to not to think about it as much as possible to try not to freak out about it. Scraping my hair back roughly, grabbing the blue goop, I roughly massaged it through my scalp. I jumped when I heard a voice outside of my shower curtain.

"So what other foods can you cook for me?" Kakashi's voice spoke over the noise of the shower.

I paused.

"Come worthy crumpets?" I replied, confused at the oddity of the situation me being naked in the shower while Kakashi was probably sitting on the toilet, reading.

"I don't think I want to know how that name came about," I heard the rustle of a page turning over the shower.

"Let's just assume my friends are as crass and perverted as us," I responded, taking time to lather myself in Kakashi's reassuring spearmint and tea tree soap, slowly allowing myself to be distracted.

"Would they be rounded up into the pervert ghetto too?"

"Of course. There would be no other place for them," I smiled fondly to myself, missing them a little.

"What other foods have you got?"

"Sexy stroganoff?"

"Meh not as perverted," Kakashi dismissed. "I'm on a strictly on a perverted named food diet."

"The Jerk Circle?" I asked jokingly.

There was a silence then-

"Why on _earth_ would you call a food _that?_" Kakashi asked, horror blatant in his voice.

"It's a lot of sausages surrounded by bacon and then covered in creamy mash potatoes." I smiled, as I thought of my friends cackling as they discussed new names for my food.

"I think I am happy with just Hanky Panky Pancakes and Come Worthy Crumpets today," Kakashi said, unconcerned for the actual names.

"No Jerk Circle?" I teased.

"No Jerk Circle," he confirmed with a hint of warning.

"Alright, alright, mister grumpy pants," I finished rinsing and held the shower curtain in a firm grip. "Turn around, I am getting out."

I was surprised when he passed a towel through before I heard him say, 'turning around now.'

With a quick peek to make sure his eyes were averted, I hopped out of the shower to find some clean clothes on the side.

"Are these for me?" I asked fingering the articles.

"Yeah, they're mine though, I thought you wouldn't be comfortable with the pervert rummaging through your things."

I snickered. "That's true," I agreed, "I'll be fine once I buy some nice underwear."

There was a lapse before-

"Are you giving me permission to look through your knickers as soon as you buy nice ones?" Kakashi's voice sounded careful.

"Yep," I waited for Kakashi to leave but he just pulled down his trousers, giving me an eye full of tight, naked ass.

"Whoa!" I blushed, turning my back on him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking a shower," he said simply.

"Oh, right, I got that but, stripping right in front of me," I sneaked a look to see his shoulders rippling as he rolled his top his off his torso. "I don't know, maybe give a girl some warning?"

"I've seen you naked more than a couple of times, I thought you would be happy evening the scores," Kakashi said, bemused.

My mouth went dry just following the slight shadows created by the defined muscles on his back, bulging slightly off his lean frame.

He was broad shouldered with a large chest area however it was probably still on the small side compared to body builders. But I had to say, I appreciated this sight a whole lot more.

I spied several white scars all across his back, the randomness exactly like paint splatters.

I almost tried to peek at his lower half of his face when he partially turned, gracing me with an extremely welcome view of his washboard abs and tight pecs, but then immediately dismissed it as rude. I abruptly turned to dabbing my skin with the rugged towel, having to sponge the bandages a lot more before pulling the large t-shirt over my body where it ended just over my bottom and then slid Kakashi's boxers up my legs, the elastic the only reason they were staying up.

I looked back down at the bandages, already looking a bit worn and grimy despite the shower.

"Hey Kakashi!" I called through the shower.

He hummed in acknowledgement.

"Where are your bandages?" I started to hunt through the cabinets.

I heard a slight screech of complaint as the shower rings moved back. "I think they are in the cupboard on your left-no your other left-yep that's it."

Another screech and rustle as the shower curtain was replaced. I stared down at the sheer number rolls of white gauze and bandages.

Shakily, I brought my hand to grasp my wrist, trying to force myself to hook a finger under the white fabric to take it off. I panted hard and I scowled. _It isn't so fucking hard Jenny, just man up and take it off the bandage._

Just as I was about give up and leave it unwrapped, a particularly large and wet hand grasped my wrist prying it away.

My heart thundered under the sensational overload, trying to understand why I could smell the spearmint and tea tree sharper, how I could smell Kakashi's detergent even clearer. It was questioning how the steam of the shower had caught on the raised hairs on my arms and how my eyes keenly took in the wetness on my wrist.

I followed the wetness up a band of pure power from a forearm leading to a particularly dented bicep to a shuddering shoulder where it seemed to be dripping with water. The trail ends of the grey hair brushed it lightly and I followed it up to meet a grey eyed gaze. Unsure whether he had something blocking the lower half of his face, I kept eye contact, much to the chagrin of my cheeks which flushed under his intent scrutiny.

Pressing a scarred palm to my cheek he gently turned my face away from him and the mirror, I felt Kakashi slowly unwrap the bandages. Grabbing the hand towel in front of my eyes, he dabbed at my skin softly like he was scared he would damage it if he applied too much pressure.

I felt the dry warmth of the new bandage as he wrapped it around my palm to the back of my wrist before binding it further up my arm, mummifying it. Kakashi repeated the procedure with my opposite arm.

When I felt the last knot, I cleared my throat. We had both been silent through the system.

"I'll go make us some food, although we'll probably need to get the milk that we didn't get last time," I started to babble, "And flour, we will definitely need flour, oh and I wonder if you have sugar? Because we also need sugar-"

Kakashi stopped my speaking by setting his hands on my shoulders, "Firefly, I have already done it."

I frowned. "But I only decided to make pancakes and crumpets today."

"You told me you knew only how to make stir fry and cookies. And I am sure the main ingredient of cookies is…?" he trailed off, allowing me to give the obvious answer.

I blushed and looked at my feet. "Sugar."

"So what dirty name did these get given?" Kakashi asked after a moment of silence.

"Hmmm?" I shook my head, ridding myself of the pictures of the gloriously muscled man in front of me. He could give the Abercrombie & Fitch models a run for their money.

"What was the dirty name given to the cookies?" Kakashi spoke slowly and I guess it was to be expected. I was acting slightly spaced out.

I wrinkled my nose as I finally understood the question. "Not a nice one trust me."

I turned to walk out of the door but Kakashi grasped my arm, rotating me back so I faced him again. "No, tell me."

I folded my arms, "Not without a please," I looked in his eyes determined not to be tempted to look at the lower half of his face.

Kakashi rolled his eye, exasperated. "Fine, please tell me what the dirty name was given to the cookies."

I scuffed my big toe across the floor as I mumbled my answer.

"What was that?" Kakashi leaned closer.

"Cunt clenching cookies," I muttered as I flushed crimson before sprinting out of the bathroom.

His laughter followed me all the way to the kitchen. I shook my head to get rid of the butterflies that were chasing around in my skull just marvelling over his laugh and how it melted the ice chip in my chest cavity.

To distract myself, I started banging around the cupboards searching for the pans and the ingredients.

Settling them all beside me I began to work and I was so focussed that I didn't hear the bell go until Kakashi yelled out to me. "Can you get that?"

Placing down the flour I walked to the door and I was not expecting a sweaty Ino at the door.

"Do you know how long it took for me to find you?" she demanded, her hands on her hips.

"A long time?" I hedged.

Ino rolled her eyes and grabbed my wrist dragging me out of the flat, "we're going shopping."

"Wait Ino, I'm just about to make breakfast. Would you like some?"

The blonde turned to me, a calculating look in her eyes. "What are you making?" she asked suspiciously.

"Crumpets and pancakes?"

There was another moment of silence before she shrugged. "Yeah, why not?" and strode back into the flat like it was her own.

I sent my eyes heavenwards but walked back in, shutting the door behind me before stepping towards the kitchen to begin making the pancakes again.

Ino lounged on one of the mismatched chairs, picking at her fingernails.

To me an awkward moment of silence ensued.

"So how has the shop been?" I asked, not sure on what else to say.

Ino shrugged, "The tea girl has been banging more and more men lately, I am starting to think I have got a prostitute under my roof."

I gave a surprised laugh, "Sucks for you."

"Don't need to tell me," Ino grumbled.

I flipped a pancake onto a plate and placed it in front of Ino, before turning to the pan again to sizzle some more batter on the heat.

I also brought out another dusty bowl to begin making the crumpets. I grimaced at the sight of the unwelcome fluff and rinsed it with water. I swear Kakashi used _nothing_ in his flat other than the bookshelf, the sofa and the bathroom.

More importantly the shower. I shook myself as I felt a shiver run through me at the sight of a mostly naked, wet…. I fanned myself, a futile attempt to cool myself from the less than chaste thoughts.

"Is it hot in here? Do you want me to open a window?" speak of the devil, a now clothed arm reached out next to me to unlatch the window which looked out on rolling rubbish and graffiti walls.

"They smell delicious by the way," he gave an exaggerated sniff coupled with his eye closing.

I flushed at the compliment but blamed it on the heat of the pan when he questioned it.

"Yah, it's just the heat of the pan," Ino said, through a mouthful of pancake, a knowing look exchanged between us. I shot her a glare when I thought Kakashi's back was turned.

"So why are we going shopping?" I asked Ino while depositing another pancake for Kakashi on his plate. Kakashi sat with his back facing us.

"Well Sakura said before she left that we are meant to be drinking tonight and I noticed on our 'shopping trip'" the sarcasm couldn't have been more obvious in her tone even if there was a neon sign announcing it. "That Sakura refrained from actually getting you clothes."

I chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, does that mean we'll get to go to Midnight Lace finally?"

"Sure does, Lightbulb."

I raised my eyebrows. "Lightbulb?"

Ino swallowed the mound of pancake she just put in her mouth. "Yeah Lightbulb. See me and Sakura give each other names like Pig and Forehead so I thought since we're going to be friends I might as well call you a name."

"Charming," Kakashi said dryly.

"Wondering why you didn't think of it yourself?" I teased him.

He looked over his shoulder, his mask covering his face again and gave me a baleful stare before continuing to tuck into his breakfast.

A sudden thought came to me. "But wait, I don't have any money."

Kakashi coughed as a pancake went down the wrong way. Recovering, Kakashi pulled his mask back into place as he turned to face me. "I took your share of money from the mission as well as compensation since the Hokage didn't actually have the knowledge that you were," he coughed again. "Inexperienced ninja." Walking over to a dusty tin, with a few hidden hand signals he tipped a whole pile of money on the table. "Do you think that this will be enough?" he asked rhetorically.

Ino gave a little squeal, jumping up and abandoning her pancake for the tin which she replaced all the money back in. She turned to me, a smile alighting her face.

"We can get you seven different lingerie for each day of the week!" she squealed, comically jumping up and down.

Bemused I returned my attention to mixing the crumpets.

Ino groaned with impatience. "Do you really have to make these _now?_"

I shot her a look as I placed dollops of the mixture on the baking trays. "Are you telling me you don't want some of this left over for you to take back home?" I shrugged indifferently. "Oh well, I guess I can give these to-"

"Nononono," Ino rushed to my side instantly. "You don't have to do that, I mean if there is left over, I don't want it to go to waste."

I smiled and piled all of the dirty dishes on the side to be washed.

"You aren't having any pancakes firefly?" Kakashi asked from the corner where he casually looked up from his book.

I shook my head smiling. "I'll wait for the crumpets."

I started to wash the dishes and was surprised when a gloved hand started to dry. Shrugging it off, it was almost therapeutical the way the system would work in the quiet of the kitchen. The way I would methodically clean the bowls and pans, the muted thud of a pass over to Kakashi. The inaudible rasp of Kakashi rubbing away the soapy water before the opening and closing of the correct cupboard.

The timer dinged and I rapidly picked out the crumpets and took a deep breath of the deliciousness. Turning I caught a salivating Ino and as close as I could see a desperate Kakashi.

"Are you guys still hungry?" I asked incredulous.

Ino nodded eagerly and Kakashi shrugged.

"It would go to waste otherwise," he shrugged again.

I tsked and placed it in the centre of the table and turned to get myself a plate and when I turned back around I saw Kakashi and Ino piling their plates high and leaving only a couple for me.

"Hey!" I protested.

They both froze and comically turned to me, eyes wide. I fisted my hands on my hips.

"Put two of your crumpets on the baking tray again. Each. Slowly." I ordered frostily.

Slowly, the both placed their allotted number of crumpets back on the baking tray. I saw Kakashi try and pull a fast one on me and take one again.

I clicked at him angrily. "Ah-ah."

Kakashi's droopy eye looked at me, his eye brow inching upwards.

"Did you just scold me like… a dog?"

There was an incredulous silence before I nodded.

I sat down and began to butter my hot scone ignoring him. We all took a bite of the buttery goodness and promptly groaned in unison.

"If I have a coronary heart attack right now," I moaned, "I would not mind at all. I would die happy."

Ino snorted as she delicately picked at her crumpet, a complete reversal from her animalistic desperation earlier.

The entire remaining eating was finished in silence and was only broken when Kakashi spoke.

"I can now see why your friends call them come worthy. I think I just came."

I choked on my remaining swallow.

…o0o…

I was enjoying the sun when I saw Sakura fondling a white granny bra at the stall where we bought my first bras. Ino was chatting inanely and I didn't think she had seen her friend and I quickly tugged her to a stall.

"Wow this looks interesting!" I exclaimed.

Ino looked at me like I was crazy.

"Lightbulb, that is a bed pan."

I dropped it like it was hot and sent an apologetic glance to the owner of the stall before continuing what I felt was further away from Sakura.

"So where first?" I turned to my blonde companion.

"Well, we need to get you several hot dresses for night outs, then need to get you some hot lingerie so you can get laid," Ino ticked them off on her hands. "You also need some real soap, Kakashi's makes you smell like a butch lesbian."

I gave a startled laugh and we continued through the myriad of brightly coloured stalls.

"Oooo and make up!" Ino crowed, running to a relatively small wooden structure that seemed to be overflowing with tubes of lipstick, pads of eye shadows and brushes sticking out haphazardly.

I giggled and began my prowl for my usual.

Even though it was nearly late morning, the humidity was killing me. I swiped my already sweaty forehead.

"Ew gross Lightbulb," Ino curled her upper lip.

I rolled my eyes and handed my money over.

Throughout the day, my tin became considerably lighter as the familiar chink of money exchanging hands.

I had to buy a variety of items that Ino said were a necessity so 'I wouldn't be like Forehead."

I snorted at that as I bought the scarf.

Finally, at the end of the day, Ino gifted me with:

"And now we can go to Midnight Lace!"

I squealed and ran to catch up with her already shrinking form as she raced me to possibly the crème de la crème. Midnight lace, I sighed internally.

Where some girls use make up to make themselves feel prettier (which I did) or have a lot of guy mates compared to girl friends to feel more superior in their beauty (which I also did), what I do that is undeniably the only thing that makes girls feel better about themselves: buy a fuck load of lingerie.

The first breath of air conditioned room hinted at its high prices didn't dissuade me as I caressed a fuchsia and black silk push up bra and thong set.

I breathed deep through my nose.

I was finally home.

…o0o…

I knocked on the front door to Kakashi's flat , my numerous shopping bags smacking into it along with my tired fist.

I propped myself on the side wall, taking deep breaths through my nose trying to oxygenate my brain which was complaining with the beginnings of a headache. Well probably not a headache considering my body bloody self heals.

I scowled down at my hidden arms.

It was probably my body suffering from dehydration. Not much a body can do without water.

I listened for a minute as Kakashi went through the locks (too many locks) and finally opened the door where he greeted me with his droopy eye scanning me head to foot.

"Are you going to let me in or not?" I may or may not have been especially cranky after a near death experience on those slippery steps up to the flat, all crazy torturers excluded.

Wordlessly, Kakashi opened the door further open and stepped aside for me to waddle in like my kinsmen, the penguins, before flopping on the couch the second time that day. I closed my tired eyes in relief.

"Well, now this is interesting," I creaked open one eyelid and froze.

My worst nightmares confirmed:

Kakashi stood there, an electric blue lace thong dangling precariously from a finger, his grey eye held the gleam of teasing while his eye brow was non-existent while it hid in his unruly hairline.

I blushed furiously and with unknown energy I flashed upwards, racing to the other side of the low table made of breeze blocks and an old door and made a grab for the under garment which Kakashi held teasingly in the air.

"Give it back!" I hissed, making another futile jump.

What I should have said before was that while I found lingerie brought out a prettier me, it didn't mean that I was confident enough that I would let any man see them while not on my body.

Kakashi ran behind the couch and I followed albeit more slowly behind him, not even half the athlete he was even after two years of going to the gym regularly.

I chased him around the flat, desperate to gain it back.

"Consider it your payment for saving you," Kakashi teased. "I am but a humble knicker entrepreneur and unfortunately, my stock is running low."

"Not that one you dick!" I hissed, making another desperate grab. "You can take the shittier knickers, the white cotton."

Kakashi made a face.

"But they aren't as pretty as these ones," he argued, twirling said knickers around his finger.

"But I haven't even had a chance to wear them yet!" I whined, stomping my foot childishly.

Kakashi chuckled and came over to me, ruffling my hair, much to my chagrin and placed the high quality lace in my hand.

"You can have them back," he said walking towards his bedroom. "But I am claiming interest next time." He called over his shoulder, disappearing.

I gabbled for a moment, my mouth uncertain of how to even form words.

"Interest?!" I finally shrieked in outrage.

He peeked his head around the door jamb. "Well unless you want to give those over right now?" He nodded towards the blue knickers forgotten in my hands. He then gave a smirk, "I thought not," and returned into his bedroom.

I huffed and brought my necessities into the bathroom for going out that night for drinking.

Stripping nude although leaving my bandages on my arms still, I brought my new soaps in and timidly placed them in a tiny corner of the shower cubicle, unsure of whether I was allowed to have a space there yet.

Switching the water on, I couldn't help but want Kakashi in here too to distract me again from my thoughts. My tired brain wasn't equipped for fighting against the tide of malicious and hurtful daydreams.

"Well, I like these ones too," Kakashi said, from the other side of the shower curtain. "I might take these in my interest claim."

I scowled to myself. _I take it back. Who would want that perverted jackass in here anyway?_

I still couldn't help the niggling sense of relief as I thought I heard him settle on the toilet seat.

"So which bar-slash-club are you going that requires you to be dressed up so," Kakashi paused, mulling over his next choice of words, probably examining the dress I was planning on wearing out that night. "Eloquently."

"I think we are going clubbing," I replied, massaging my new mango shampoo into my hair and sighed at the luxurious feeling. "God this feels so good."

I could feel Kakashi's raised eye brow from here. "Are you doing something that would require more privacy? I don't mind, being the pervert that I am, but apparently women like some quiet time when they are seeking relief."

I snorted. "I'm not doing _that_ you halfwit. I am using this new shampoo that we bought today and God does it feel good."

"Is God your boyfriend back home?" Kakashi asked after a gap.

I snickered. "Man I wish."

We were both quiet for the majority of my shower until, Kakashi tentatively probed at the thing barrier.

"If hypothetically you saw me at the same club that you are going to tonight, what would you think?"

I halted my washing of mango body wash (sensing a pattern here?), turning my wide eyes towards the space Kakashi would be inhabiting, confused by the sudden change in conversation.

"Why are you asking?" I asked, unsure of what Kakashi was saying.

"Just answer the question."

I paused, allowing rivulets of water to continue down my spine for a moment.

"Do you mean now that I know you or do you mean if you were a stranger?" I asked cautiously.

"If I was a stranger," he clarified.

"Oh, well," I paused again, thinking about it. "I'd probably try to get you to go home with me."

There was a silence and I blushed thinking that I had been too forthright with my answer and began to apologise.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Why are you apologising? I asked for your opinion." Kakashi's voice cut over mine.

"Well, maybe you weren't looking for such an honest answer?" I hedged.

"Can I ask why me?"

I halted my ministrations again, trying to think of how my honest answer would go over.

"I-uh-I have a kind of," I coughed uncomfortably, combing the conditioner through my hair. "A _liking_ for men older than I am, not by a couple years, more like at least half a decade."

There was another silence and I quickly washed the smoothness of the conditioner out of my hair.

"I am coming out now," I broke the stillness quietly.

Kakashi hummed.

Expecting it to be like last time, I thought he would have his back turned but when I stepped onto the cold, white tiles, he was staring impassively at his smut book.

I squeaked and dived for my towel and quickly secured it under my armpits covering my dignity.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, my skin flushing with both the heat of the shower and the embarrassment. "I thought you would have turned around!"

Kakashi slowly raised his eye to meet mine. "If I wasn't peeking surely it isn't bad? Or don't you trust me?"

I opened my mouth to protest but then I thought about it.

It wasn't exactly bad if he wasn't planning on looking and at this point he saved my life. Nothing could break that trust.

My shoulders slumped.

"No, I guess it isn't _bad_," I grumbled, turning to face the mirror, my eyes instantly zoning in on my bandage covered arms.

Reflexively, I traced the ridges made between each wrap, guarding my line of sight to my scars.

I saw a shadow out of the corner of my eye and Kakashi held my wrist, his finger poised to catch under the bandage to take it off. A silent question.

I nodded, looking away.

I felt a cold breeze hit my skin as the damp fabric was unwinded.

I resolutely combed my long hair one handed, uncaring of the uneven ends, determined not to glance once at the scars.

I failed.

My hand slow in my hair as my eyes fixated on the red and fading scars. My finger traced the familiar and normal.

In a sick way, it made me feel normal again, the disgust at them absent as I fell into my role of recovering after the accident.

I was normal Jenny again, I would leave my house for uni, then on the Sunday I would make the effort to leave the city for the country where my parents prepared Sunday lunch and we would eat it while my brother wold come in, smelling of the farm.

We all would earnestly ignore the empty chair that used to be filled with another family member.

I felt warm at the memory and when Kakashi went to cover them again, I placed a hand on his wrist, restraining him gently.

"You look like you would need them more since this isn't the last mission you are going to go on," I said, smiling, rummaging through my bag for an actual hair brush.

Kakashi was already shaking his head before I had even finished speaking. "I think you still need them, I don't mind."

Kakashi then began to resolutely tie the bandages earnestly, covering up my marred skin.

"But with your what's-it, I would have thought you wouldn't even be here, being out on another mission and all."

Kakashi looked at me questionably. "What's-it?"

"You know," I pointed to his face, "Under the eye patch there, the eye thing."

There was a dawning of understanding before he sent his unobstructed orb heavenward.

"It's called a Sharigan," he said.

"A what now?" I asked, pausing mid stroke.

"A Sharigan," Kakashi enunciated it slowly.

"Sorry, a what?" I asked. I smirked inside. I heard very well the first time but it looked like it irritated him every time that I questioned what he said.

"A Sharigan," he said it louder.

"Sheraniran?" I tried to say with a serious face before I cackled hysterically.

Kakashi just picked up his book and walked out of the bathroom.

"Oh don't be such a sour puss," I called playfully, through the open door. "I was just kidding!"

"Your interest rate has increased." Was all I got as a reply.

"Spoil sport," I grumbled, striding to the door to shut it for some privacy.

I pulled out the navy body con dress with a plunging neckline. I gave it an approving smile before dropping my towel to the floor.

I wiggled into the fuchsia thong that I saw first in Midnight Lace and then them matching bra that had a nice amount of padding. I fell into the routine of being a normal girl again.

Sliding the fabric of the dress over my hips, I didn't bother pulling up my arms, not wanting to get powder foundation on the front then I began the common ritual of going out clubbing.

I covered my pores, smoothed my skin tone, slid black over my eyelids, lengthened my lashes, rubbed a balm over my lips and with a critical eye I deemed myself ready to go clubbing.

Pulling the dress over my arms, I unsuccessfully tried to do the zip up on the back.

I chewed my lip, undecided. Ino would be here any minute and I needed someone to zip me up. Ino said while I might live with someone commonly known for being late, didn't give me an excuse to be late myself.

Slowly, I moved across the room where Kakashi was typically sitting his book open, an arm behind his head. He didn't look up.

"Do the back of my dress up would you?" I spun around, presenting him with my back, holding my hair out of the way, not really giving him an option.

There was a huff and a snap of a book shutting and I felt warm hands on either side of my waist pushing me a little forward so he could stand comfortably in the space between our bodies and the sofa.

The obstinate sound of the zip was the only thing that broke that tense silence. It wasn't tense like you would think, like a sexual tension between an incredibly attractive male and a hormone filled body female. Well there was for a little bit for me, but for Kakashi it was as platonic as placing a tiara on his niece.

It was more like it was the beginning of drawing lines in our friendship developing. We have both wordlessly agreed that even drinking that we wouldn't sleep together (more of his rule considering he was serious about Sakura) however we could bounce back from seeing each other naked.

And appeared to be comfortable on that one side of the relationship.

Another unspoken rule was that we could discuss the books although it appeared that unless Kakashi gave his own criticism, I wasn't allowed to do the same. He got very touchy that way.

So this zipping up my dress was just another fence to bind us in this fragile friendship.

I beamed over my shoulder in thanks and tugged a little on the hem that most prude's would be uncomfortable with wearing. Considering my face was average at best, I had to sway the male attention with the body.

I could feel the feminist pitch forks being waved at me already.

I rummaged through the bags on the table to find my only bag that I thought could be used for any occasion: black, plain, not too big, not too small. You know the one.

I started to fill it with my purse, mace and make up. Then the old woman in me called out for a cardigan for the walk home.

"So what's your wild night in going to consist of?" I asked over my shoulder as I bent to retrieve the book that I was reading on the floor where I had abandoned it to chase Kakashi earlier.

I gave it an apologetic rub, scrutinising for any sign of damage. Finding none, I turned to give Kakashi my full attention while bending to one of the shopping bags that I still hadn't unpacked from the morning for a cardigan.

All I heard was the running of the shower. I tsked and followed through the open doorway where I smelt his soap eagerly.

"So you are definitely going out tonight with your friends then?" I asked, perching on the toilet lid, beginning to read my last chapter.

There was a grunt of affirmation.

"Any attractive?" I tried to ask neutrally.

There was a screech of shower rings and I resolutely was determined to not look up at the eye that was probably glaring at me.

"A couple," he grudgingly admitted. "Although they are off limits to you tonight; you need your rest."

I pouted but grudgingly admitted defeat as I read my final pages in silence. I had to say, I was feeling pretty tired and was only going to strengthen my friendship with Ino and Sakura.

Oh and to scout out the fresh meat.

Not that I was objectifying men or anything.

But Kakashi said tonight I couldn't sleep with his friends; that didn't mean I couldn't pursue them in the future. I gave myself an internal evil grin.

There was another rustle as Kakashi clambered out of the shower that he somehow made it appear like he was dwarfing it.

I averted my eyes when from my peripheral I saw that he was completely naked, without a shred of dignity. He didn't even bother to cover it up!

"When is Ino picking you up?"

I started, so absorbed in the shittest ending to a book I have ever had the unfortunate experience to read. I looked up to see Kakashi vigorously rubbing his silver hair until it was standing in disarray.

I shrugged, closing the book. "She didn't say-"

At that moment there was heavy pounding on the door and I walked quickly to the desperate knocks.

I opened the door to see a flushed Sakura panting, her pink dress hanging awkwardly off her frame, evidence of exercise. I saw over her shoulder an irate Ino behind the pink haired woman.

"Are you okay?" I asked haltingly, unsure with how to proceed with this sight.

Sakura roughly shoved passed me and leaped towards a towelling Kakashi where she launched herself into his arms, laying the biggest kiss I have ever seen on his mouth.

I saw Kakashi flinch but didn't struggle. I also saw, to Sakura's embarrassment, that he wasn't returning it as she grinded herself up his body. I felt a heat flagging my cheeks and averted my gaze.

Finally, I brought myself to look when I heard a smacking sound and saw Sakura had given up and was wiping her smudged lip stain, turned to us and walked out of the door. Ino shaking her head followed after that. With an apologetic rub on Kakashi's shoulder, I snatched my bag from the table and raced out of the door to catch up with Ino.

"…was that?" I heard Ino hissing next to her.

I saw Sakura shrugged. "Me showing him that I was not going to give up on him."

"But you were the one who cheated on him in the first place Sakura!" Ino responded angrily and inside I was cheering for the blonde. "Did you even apologise?"

Sakura hesitated for a moment.

"Kinda…"

Ino froze. Her whole body ridged.

"Kinda?" Ino shrieked, any amount of subtlety lost. "Either you did or you didn't Forehead!"

Ino smacked said forehead of the pinkette. Sakura cried out.

"I did apologise, but not in so many words!"

Ino fisted her hands on her sides. I awkwardly shifted my feet, knowing that I wasn't part of this debate.

"What words?" Ino snarled.

"Well I told him why I did it and-" Sakura began.

The curiosity was killing me. I was weak for gossip.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, my eyebrow raised.

Sakura scowled at the interruption and her glare seemed to increase as she stared at me. I swallowed nervously but stayed firm. Kakashi was arguably the best friend I have ever had, I wasn't going to let a woman play around with him.

"Because of you!" Sakura growled, her finger prodding painfully into my bare chest.

I recoiled from the force.

"If you hadn't come here with your naked body to cause nosebleeds and be pretty and blue haired and being so happy and live in Kakashi's house and try to sleep with him and-" Sakura cut herself off with a sob.

Through the extensive list (most of which I couldn't help with) my eyes had gotten wider and wider in shock.

Cautiously I took a step forward and gave a pull to the shoulder and tried to bring her in for a hug.

Sakura roughly shoved me away. "I don't want your pity!" she hissed violently.

I recoiled again, trying to hide the hurt of rejection by laying my mask on neutrally, the skill as easy as breathing.

"You're the one who cheated on him before Jenny even came here," Ino pointed out angrily. "And I thought I was petty."

"You don't understand Ino-Pig! Having your boyfriend being as attractive as he is, never saying anything about his feelings or why he likes you or why he changed his mind on going out with you. Why he doesn't explain getting a nose bleed form seeing another girl naked-"

Sakura choked off again.

There was a tense moment of silence and in my head it was buzzing with all the reassurances I wanted to give, buzzing with all the reproach I wanted to give her for cheating on a man as honourable as Kakashi. Instead in a quiet voice I cleared my throat and broke the silence:

"I think he is going out with his friends tonight, if you apologise, I'm sure he would begin to forgive you," I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to scrape some skin off with all the words I didn't want to say.

I didn't want this girl to string Kakashi along. She was toxic. But Ino was my friend, one of the closest allies I had other than Kakashi himself and it seemed if I wanted to be Ino's friend I would have to accept this selfishness incarnate.

There was so much I wanted to say, but there was so much under social etiquette which I wasn't allowed to.

_I want you to break it off with Sasuke. No more. He is a lost cause, like a baby who has thrown his toys out of the pram and is crying for them back, he has thrown you away and now seeing you're happy, he wants you back. That's all you are to him Sakura: a toy. Now if you don't want Kakashi's interest, tell him now._

"She's right Forehead, but you have to break it off definitely with Sasuke first." Ino added.

Sakura's shoulders deflated, the weight of her decision depressing her into the ground beneath our feet. She nodded numbly in agreement.

With a bright smile that I didn't feel in the sombre mood I clapped my hands together once. "Right let's get wankered."

Ino laughed and looped her arms through mine and Sakura's elbows, dragging us towards the lit up downtown.

"By the way, in case I forgot to mention it earlier, you look bangin' Ino," I said, looking down at her purple halter dress, dipping low into her cleavage, the bejewelled band just under highlighting her breasts.

Ino flipped her blonde ponytail behind her again, her chest puffing up at the praise. "I know, purple looks best on me." Ino looked up at me critically. "I was a bit dubious with navy but I was wrong. Bitch you are going to get laid tonight."

I snorted. "Thank you, I try," I preened mockingly. "Although Kakashi said that I'm not allowed to have sex tonight." I pouted.

Ino sent her incredulous blue eyes towards me, our eyes a little bit disjointed, her being an inch or so shorter than me.

"I can't believe that pervert," her nose was wrinkled derisively. "Before Forehead here, no matter if he had been just at death's door, he would go to the local pub and screw the nearest girl in the bathroom!"

"Classy," I commented dryly.

Ino was about to retort when Sakura cut her off. "Do you mind if we don't talk about Kakashi please?"

The mood dampened, we walked in peace. I looked everywhere that didn't have Sakura in my direct line of sight.

Finally, _finally_, we reached a club where the music was thrumming out already. Getting immediate entry, I bee lined to the bar where I saw men perching on stools, most looking to be on their own.

The bar keep was a young man, around my age, his skin tanned with a pleasant face. I made note on to come here again.

"A round of tequila please, my good man," the man in question looked up from the glass he was cleaning and paused as he took in my form. It helped that I had my arms pushing my boobs up subtly to give the hint that there was more than there actually was.

I gave a seemingly innocent smile, pretending to crease my eyebrows in confusion as he didn't begin to do my order. Startled, he looked away, a little flushed even in this dark lighting.

"Sure," I could see him unconsciously building up his courage to send me a cheeky wink or maybe some kind of witty repartee.

He went with the toothy crooked smile. I returned it with vigour before paying for the round and walked away, making sure that there was more sway in my hips than usual before placing the round on the table where Ino and Sakura were sitting in an odd silence.

I hesitated before I broke that thick silence by licking my hand and salting it. I raised a shot glass.

"To new friendships, not dying and getting laid!" I knocked back the spirit.

Ino snorted but followed suit, moving her jaw slightly afterwards, allowing the alcohol soak through.

I saw Sakura just fiddle with the little glass. "Well? It's not going to drink itself," I pointed out sharply.

Sakura's mouth tightened and with a little glare, she shot down the glass of tequila, never breaking eye contact with me, other than a tell-tale wince, she looked invigorated.

I nodded in approval and started on my second.

I started when Ino gave a squeal, my heart pounding, a fear induced sweat sprinkling over my skin, nothing to do with the hot club. My eyes darted for the threat, I cupped my elbows, as if it would hide them from _him_.

"Shikamaru!" Ino launched herself at a man with a black hair in an imitation of a pineapple, everything about his stance suggested that he was bored. If I hadn't seen a little quirk of his lips when Ino had hugged him in addition to the wandering hand that caused to Ino to squeal in mock outrage which led to a low chuckle, I would've believed it.

I smiled into the rim of my glass. While I might not believe in love for myself, I loved seeing it with other people.

"You have to meet Jenny!" I glanced up at the sound of my name to see the beaming blonde dragging her boyfriend, saying something that sounded almost like "how troublesome" before giving me the most fake smile I have ever seen.

I guessed it wasn't because he didn't like me but because he was forced to do so by the overpowering girlfriend.

"Hey," I gave a small wave before taking Ino's shot.

"Hey!" Ino protested, swatting me on the back of my head. I hissed in pain.

Rubbing the back of my head, I stalked up from my position to get the next round, not with my money, but with Ino's.

The bartender gave me a more confident smirk this time as he pushed the tray towards me and I returned with a cheeky wink before swaggering off.

Now thinking about it, you would have wondered why I would be leading this man on, but my reasoning was that I was laying the ground work for a future tumble between the sheets.

I walked back to the table to see it completely crowded. Sakura, Ino and Shikamaru were still there but now there was a Naruto loudly laughing while sipping on a pint and Sasuke brooded next to him also nursing a beer. There was a chubby man, one wearing sun glasses in the dark which made no logical sense, it was like he was trying to be in the Blues Brothers or something.

Then there was a guy with red fangs on his face and with an uproarious laugh I saw he had larger canines than normal. I felt a slight rush of heat when he raised his hand to rub heartily at his already messy brown locks and I saw his black t-shirt rise up and a flat plane of muscles was exposed.

I regained my senses when I spied a small black haired girl hiding close to where Naruto was slapping the small high table and I placed the next round on the table.

I heard a husky, rasped voice ask someone near him "Who's the blue haired beauty?"

I pretended to be oblivious and feigning innocence, I stretched my arms above my head, pushing my chest forward, slightly arching my back pushing my breasts and butt out. Before reaching down for a shot glass, with the cover of an innocent glance around, I made eye contact with this man as I slowly licked my hand. His light brown eyes seized on the action before giving me a cocky smirk.

I turned away with my own secret quirk of the corner of my tinted lips before I salted, giving another languid lick of the bitter salt before shooting the amber liquid back and sucking on the lime.

I began on my second quickly after, revelling in the numbness in my skin, my first sign that I was quickly getting intoxicated. I was a light weight at heart.

I caught sight of my still bandaged arms when I pretended a coy glance at the ground, horror stabbed my heart. Why was I even bothering? Who would want me with these disgusting scars?

Another side effect of getting drunk means those hardened walls against the bad memories liquefy and they come roaring back. I grabbed the next shot in earnest.

The bitter liquid burned on its way down and I welcomed the relief. I heard Sakura cut off from the side. While I wasn't exactly paying close attention, you couldn't hear her high voice in the back ground any longer, even under the thrum of the loud music.

I looked curiously over to where she was standing and where her eyes were locked. Following her gaze, taking another shot, I saw familiar grey hair making its way to the bar.

I tracked Ino's hand as it patted Sakura on the shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile. "Come on Forehead. Man up. I'm sure if you asked nicely, Jenny would help you apologise to Kakashi, you, know, put in a good word for you?" Ino turned her made up eyes to me, a pointed expression on her face.

I turned to look at Sakura and saw her sorrowful expression and steeling myself for a very awkward situation I nodded and beckoned with my hand.

"Yeah, I don't know how much help I'll be, but I think you guys should get this straightened out," I winced at the false sounding speech and ran away before they would catch onto this.

Dodging past the gyrating bodies and the awkward conversation, I stumbled my way until I was right in front of Kakashi who had his porn book out while he waited for the drinks to be made along with his friends.

"Hey!" I shouted over the loud music.

Kakashi raised his eye to look at me and I saw the welcoming eye crinkle. "Yo."

I rolled my eyes, "So are you following me now?" then I made sure to give a sly glance to his surrounding friends who still hadn't noticed me. "Or are you introducing me to these fine men?"

At the sound of 'men', those in question swivelled their heads around to face me.

"And who might this lady be, Kakashi?" A man chewing on what looked to be a needle, shot me a foxy smirk.

"Better yet, where have you been hiding her?" said another with a scar heading straight across his nose.

I flushed when I looked at the surrounding group. I pushed myself to my tip toes to hiss in Kakashi's ear: "Why the fuck did you not tell me your friends were so attractive?" I gave his arm a slight punch, "Otherwise I would have pushed harder on the no sex rule tonight!"

"No sex rule?" I blushed and turned to the man who I hadn't noticed on the other side of Kakashi, who from where I was standing smelled strongly of smoke even over the sticky scent of the club. His beard was cut near to his jaw and his black hair was dotted with grey strands.

"What is she to you old man?" the bearded man continued to tease. "Some illegitimate child from past excursions maybe? Hmmmm?"

Kakashi said nothing as he turned to pick up his beer from the sticky bar top. I looked to Kakashi, waiting for him to say that I was his roommate. I frowned when the pause grew. Turning to the man, I gave a broad smile and held out my hand while the other curled a blue strand conveniently in front of my breast, drawing the eye to the cleavage.

"I'm Jenny," my smile widening when the man took my hand, his eyes only darting for a moment to my breasts. "I'm his new roommate."

"Asuma," his smile copied mine and his grip was firm on my hand. "Jail bait?"

I rolled my eyes good naturedly. "Twenty three actually."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," another voice popped up behind me and I turned to see the man with the scar crossing across the bridge of his nose to either cheeks. "I'm Iruka."

I beamed and took the proffered hand. "Jenny, the Non-Jail-Bait."

Iruka raised his eyebrow, letting his palm linger against mine. "Was that a hint there? Would you like a drink?"

I raised my eyebrows in return. "Maybe. But that drink does sound good right about now."

Iruka shot me a smirk. "Then what are you drinking?"

I beamed and settled on a bar stool next to Kakashi which was curiously absent. "I'll take a cider then please."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kakashi slowly shaking his head, his eye riveted on the orange book in front of him. While Iruka was busy I subtly leaned over and whisper-shouted in his ear.

"Sakura is coming over to apologise," I swallowed the bad taste in my mouth when I continued, "she seemed sincere." I forced out.

Kakashi didn't show a sign of acknowledging me and I leant in again to repeat it but Kakashi placed his hand on my shoulder pushing me back again, his dark grey eye seeming menacing in the strobe lights. I caught my breath at the slight contact and ignored the harsh scents lingering everywhere.

"I heard you," Kakashi said before continuing with his book.

I waited, looking for any sign of reacting. When none came, I punched his bicep hard and fast, trying my best to ignore any extra senses coming into play.

"So what do you want me to do?" I asked impatiently. "She is waiting for me to give some kind of signal."

I tried to hide the bitterness in my voice. I couldn't help it. I tried to beat it out of my skull but I couldn't help it. But how could a man as attractive as him go for someone as selfish as Sakura? Why not someone who wouldn't mind having that every day to wake up to? Heavens knows that I would tap that every second of the day.

I mentally bitch slapped myself at the weird thought, it was going against every rule I have ever given myself. One: no sleeping with roommates. Two: no sleeping with friends-slash-best-friends. Three: no sleeping with people who have saved your life multiple times.

Admittedly the latter was a new development.

"Give the signal for her to come over then," Kakashi said snapping his book closed to give me the full attention of his grey eye. I swallowed the flush given by my drunken libido.

I nodded and snapped a sloppy salute. "Sir, yes sir."

Kakashi rolled his eye and turned to swig a large gulp of beer. "No one likes a smart arse."

"You this obedient in bed too?" a voice said behind me.

Startled, I swirled around, my heels making the ground uneven leaving me to stumble. I felt the now familiar large hand pressing to the side of my waist keeping me upright from behind me. I sent a drunken smile behind me to Kakashi before turning forwards again to face whoever caused me to turn around in the first place.

My eyes were directly at the chest and my eyes followed the bitter bones up to the scarred face.

"Here's your drink," Iruka continued cheerfully, handing me a sweating glass full of the alcohol.

I sent him a smile again before looking over my shoulder to where Sakura was and when I caught her eye I nodded towards Kakashi before turning back to my drink's patron.

"So are you ninja or civilian?" Iruka leant an elbow on the counter top, excluding the others from our talk. I took a sizeable gulp of my cider.

"Civilian, but I don't mind. I had my chance at ninja but…" I shrugged evasively, slowly turning my arms to hide behind my back. I averted my gaze to the bar and started downing my drink wishing for a headier haze.

Iruka with the speed of Kakashi instantly grabbed my bandaged wrist and brought it forward for inspection. "So what happened to a civilian that involves full arm coverage?"

Iruka looked up at me, probably expecting some sort of glamourous story filled with self depreciative humour. Instead I gave a dismissive laugh and tried to tug my wrist out of his hold.

"Oh you know, this and that, something I won't bore you with." I tried twisting my wrist to see if that would loosen his grip. To be frank, the shots I had already done before Kakashi and his friends came meant that I was getting tearful and my head felt loose on my shoulders as I tried to break his hold.

Slowly, the panic was starting to overwhelm me. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat but I couldn't help but think back to when that man held me.

"_We'll have to test this theory," he said cruelly, his grip punishing on my forearm, holding it steady even though my wrist was already encased in binds. My struggling was always the preliminary before he jabbed the knife in harshly into my arm. _

_I shrieked as I felt the burning seizing through my body, contorting my back until it was u shaped. He left the knife in. _

_I screamed as I felt my skin trying to sew itself together but tried to do it over the sharp metal, simultaneously pushing the blade further into my arm in addition to cutting the fresh skin that was trying to stitch over it. Hotness welled in my eyes and my nose was stuffy with mucus from all my sobs. _

_I could feel the rivulets of water streaking down my face as I continued to brokenly beg-_

"Come on firefly, I think I need to organise my book shelf tonight," a voice tore me viciously out of my memory like that knife.

I turned my watering blue gaze towards the touch on my arm which was amplifying all my emotions and I couldn't help but feel the jab of warmth in my heart which I identified as relief. Over his shoulder I saw a gaping Sakura who I could see even in my inebriated state was trying to cover her anger and hurt by focusing her sympathy on me. Maybe I was wrong about Sakura. Sure she was ninja, but she was human too. We all made mistakes.

"But Kakashi we just got here!" Iruka protested.

I gave a grateful smile to Kakashi, ignoring Iruka to take Kakashi's offered hand with vigour. I sent an apologetic glance to Sakura before continuing on behind Kakashi's wake and out of the club into the humid night air, barely a relief from my sweaty skin.

The walk back across town was riddled with the obstacles of the pavement, heels and ethanol running through my blood stream. Oh and my unsatisfied libido.

I stumbled again, almost falling to my knees and if it wasn't for Kakashi who placed a supporting, tingling hand around my waist, I would have been lying flat on my face.

Kakashi gave a huff of annoyance before looping my arm around his neck and began to haul me home.

"Sorry," I muttered, lowering my head further in shame.

I felt the hand on my waist release me for only a moment. But my unbalanced equilibrium caused me to swing hard into Kakashi's chest with a slight 'umph!'.

I looked up through my lashes to see Kakashi's hand ruffle my head fondly. I nuzzled into his chest. "You are the best," I slurred.

Kakashi gave a chest rumbling chuckle and wrapped his hand around my waist again and we continued this awkward lope home.

My head was swimming with the alcohol that I could barely think more than trying to put the foot in front of the other, but I swear that every time I tried to place my foot on the blurry ground it tilted to the side.

I barely remember the walk home other than walking up the sneaky steps which were dangerous sober but were lethal with alcohol running through my veins. I was focusing so much on the need to rely on Kakashi that I wasn't focusing on the steep and narrow steps that I tripped and with a cry my knees collided with the edge of the neighbouring steps.

I hissed in pain, rubbing my sore knee cap. I glanced up and saw Kakashi in the same place as me, just leaning on the opposite railing, cradling his own knee. Before I could help it, I let out a drunken snort. Kakashi looked up at the loud noise in the dark.

"What?" he asked curiously.

I shook my head, giggling and lifted my hand to bat away the comment easily. "Nothing important."

Kakashi rolled his head back until it rested against the metal rail. "You might as well get it out before we go in. It would just keep you giggling," He said tiredly.

I took in a deep breath. "You just looked so surprised and confused, sort of like a baby who dropped its toy and isn't sure how to deal with it," my peals of laughter rebounded around the concrete structure. "Priceless. A man with a freaky red eye-"

"Sharigan," Kakashi cut in, irritation leaking in his tone.

"A body of a model-"

"Well I try."

"Probably not a man of many flaws-"

"Very true," Kakashi looked over at me amusedly, his chest puffing larger.

"Can't stand on his own!" I finished with a crow, clapping to myself and almost rolled back down the stairs if I hadn't placed a reassuring hand down on the step below me. My leg accidently in my flailing kicked near Kakashi's sprawled limbs.

Kakashi just looked down at me, amusement on his face. "It isn't actually as insulting, factually true or amusing as you think it is firefly. You really can't handle your drink." He said absently, "You were there for a what? An hour?"

I shook my head and tilted my head to look up the remaining death trap of steps we had to make up. I chomped my mouth, trying to work some saliva up in the dry cavern. I pouted when this didn't work. I really wanted that drink of water. One where there was condensation running down the sides, sweating in the humid air while I had no dress to speak of killing me slowly with its constrictions.

The desire for that glass of water was too large to ignore and I wonkily began to crawl up the stairs.

"Jenny," Kakashi sighed. "What are you doing?"

"Getting," I huffed. This whole climbing up the stairs idea might be harder than I originally thought, especially with no grip heels. "Up…ngh… the… stairs…"

I hooked my elbow on the highest stair that I finally reached and sighed with relief as I tried to wriggle my butt higher to move forward. I halted when I heard muffled laughter behind me. Annoyed I turned to see what was happening to see Kakashi's eye locked on my form and was clutching his black clothed, flat stomach and was tilting his head back as the other hand clamped on his mouth, barely holding in the laughter.

I puffed in irritation and continued to struggle to pull myself forward.

This continued for what felt like hours when I felt a vitalising hand push my rump forward, assisting me to finally catch my knee over the side too.

I froze. Rolling onto my back I looked up into Kakashi's dark eye and I couldn't help that little flush of heat which accompanied his touch.

"Come on, firefly, might as well get you to bed. The perverts will be patrolling." Kakashi swept his hand under my knees and shoulders and lifted me up with ease.

I gasped and my dizzy head lolled even further onto Kakashi's shoulder, my nose inadvertently leaning into the fabric of his mask at his neck emitting that unique scent of _tea tree and spearmint… mmmmmm…._

"Jenny?" Kakashi's voice broke through my thoughts. I didn't stop my nuzzling, but made a little whimper to signify that I had heard him.

"What are you doing?"

"Sniffing you," I burrowed my nose further into his neck, my cheek lazing on his shoulder bone that even through the top I could feel was layered with muscle.

"Oh good glad we cleared that up," Kakashi said sarcastically, before resting some of my weight on his knee as he rummaged on his person for the keys.

With some shifting he finally unlocked the door and he trusted me by setting me on my feet alone and with one reassuring hand to the shoulder he walked off to his bedroom.

I watched him or more specifically I watched his butt and couldn't help but wistfully think of his bare one I saw just that morning.

I fanned my face, and in my state, I almost smacked myself in the cheek. With a glare at the offending hand I lurched towards the kitchen for that mouth-watering glass of water.

I sighed in relief as I palmed off my heels allowing the balls of my feet to rest from the never ending agony, I finally gulped down the water. But there was something not right. I frowned.

Then realisation hit me: my dress needed to be off.

Taking dresses off are always easier than putting them on and with the grinding of metal released, the navy fabric flopped to the floor.

Humming to myself, satisfied, I took the glass and guzzled the remaining liquid and refilled it quickly afterwards. Hearing nothing I continued to stand half naked in the bright kitchen until I heard a kind of strangled gasp. I whirled around to see Kakashi in the door way, his eyes following my form.

"Why is it that when you get drunk, you feel the need to take your clothes off all the time!" Kakashi said in exasperation, lowering his hands to the bottom of his shirt and began rolling it up and over his torso.

While sober I would have the decency not to check at his lower face but intoxicated, my morals were buried deep inside and were unlikely to come out.

I was severely disappointed because when he brought his clothes out of his face I saw, much to my chagrin that he was wearing a secondary mask just circling the lower half of his face and back of his neck.

I pouted.

"But that's no fair," I whined and padded my way across the lino.

I trailed my hand up the invisible line from his navel to rest in his clavicle, my other hand caressing the rough lower plane of his stomach one of my fingers continually catching at the waistband of his trousers.

Kakashi's voice hitched before securing my wrist in one hand. "What's not fair?"

"I haven't seen your face!" I cried out and my eyes then began to leak. "For all I know, you could be a sick, sadistic, a pervert-"

"But I am a pervert!"

"I meant a _real_ one," I choked out rolling my eyes and covered my face in my hands. "Although you do nice things like covering my arms when you didn't have to all I can think of is that-that _man_. I can't help but think about how you could do the same things just as easily. Like maybe you could have saved me as a ruse to just continue the experiment. I can't help but think: _what are you even getting out of this?!_"

My shoulders shook as I cried into my hands. I felt the soothing relief of fabric against my skin. I looked up confused and was smothered as I felt the neck of Kakashi's shirt go over my nose and rest on my shoulders, dwarfing them.

Gently, Kakashi picked up my arms and slid them one by one through their holes until I was covered in this shroud.

Carefully, so as not to startle me, Kakashi reeled me in until his big hands rested chastely behind me, one between my shoulder blades the other above my lower back resting his cheek hesitantly on the top of my sweaty, wet head.

"The man has been caught. Jenny-chan is safe. Little firefly is safe, safe with her entirely inappropriate underwear for a woman of your age," I rolled my eyes but allowed myself to rest in his encompassing warmth, winding my arms tightly around his waist. "And to answer your question 'what am I getting out of this?'"

He paused, thinking about it.

"Well the simple answer is," Kakashi lowered his voice, his breathing catching on my sensitive ear, "I am getting that lovely fuchsia silk bra and thong set and-"

Outraged I shoved Kakashi back a bit but I couldn't help the laughter at him forcing its way out of my raw throat. "God you pervert!"

"I thought you said I wasn't a real one?" Kakashi asked, his eye crinkling.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "Well I'm taking that back right now!"

Kakashi chuckled again and pulled me into another squirming hug, this time me not reciprocating.

"In all seriousness, what I'm getting out of this is a companion who, despite my pervert tendencies, still lives with me and is a closet pervert too, who I can compare views on a particular sex scene."

I huffed, but I couldn't help the small smile on my face as I muttered to the floor beneath our feet. "Pervert."

Kakashi rewarded me with one more eye crinkle before ruffling my hair. "You would be bored without it."

Internally I grudgingly agreed with him. Outwardly, I huffed, spinning around and with the tequila and cider roaring in between my ears, the room spun too causing me to stumble and almost fall to the floor.

The expected hands pressed into my stomach holding me upright. "Kami, we really need to teach you how to drink."

"No, I wanted it like this," I slurred, trying to worm my way out of his grip.

"Wanted what like this?" Kakashi asked confused.

I finally wriggled my way out of the circle he made and sloppily filled up my glass with water again. Something to distract me.

"I wanted to be drunk tonight, I wanted to have meaningless sex tonight and then walk home satisfied and on my way to recovering." I swallowed the lump of grief again.

From behind me, I felt Kakashi's presence looming before I felt hesitant hand on my shoulder.

"It seems a good idea at the time but alcohol and sex never is the best medicine." He said lowly, his voice gruff.

I sniffled and gave up the pretence of drinking, gripping the side for dear life, feeling my knees becoming weak. "There never is a good medicine, so I need to self-medicate."

My breath caught in my throat as a thought crossed my mind. I was already drunk but maybe the meaningless sex isn't as far off as I thought…

Turning slowly, Kakashi was as close as I thought, barely a few centimetres away from me. I placed a palm over one pec, feeling the muscles with a light press.

Thinking that I was pushing him away he backed off a step.

I followed, my eyes never once leaving his chest from where I was trailing my hand to his sternum. "I may be drunk, but maybe we can…" I trailed off, leaving what was unspoken smoking in the air around us.

I finally dared the blearily looking up at Kakashi and was surprised to see he wasn't immediately rejecting me. Encouraged I leaned in and placed a kiss right on his sternum. This seemed to kick Kakashi into reacting.

Kakashi placed his hands on the sides of my shoulders. "Wait-"

He broke off with a hiss when I gave a bite to his nipple. I lapped it into my mouth, soothing it with a massage with my wet tongue. It was so hot in the kitchen and I felt my thong dampening.

While that was happening, I moved my leg in between his rubbing slightly, trying to relieve some of my sexual frustration. I could feel him reacting. I moved my kiss to his shoulder and upwards until my mouth was rubbing against the edge of his mask.

My hand moved to his scarred lower back, my hand going into his waist band, the other playing with the buckle of his belt.

Pushing myself to my toes I huffed in his ear, and I could have sworn I saw a bright light after all this proximity. Distracting myself I sucked his ear lobe into my mouth, catching the skin with my teeth. Kakashi still did nothing.

Pushing courage up from unknown reserves, I moved so my nose brushed his and I slowly leaned in to press my lips to his, my eyes open all the while. My bright blue looking into Kakashi's darkening, droop grey one.

Finally my lips landed on his. I stopped just like that, waiting for Kakashi to shove me away.

He did nothing.

Tentatively I stroked his hair away from his face and began to move my lips against his covered ones. My senses were spiking and I could feel the very fibre of his mask and I applied more pressure, both body and lips.

I could feel tingles from my breasts as they were squeezed between our bodies and I couldn't help the breathy moan when Kakashi slowly but surely moved his palms to my waist where his thumbs traced the underwire of my bra.

I gradually rubbed my entire body against his, wanting that friction. In the quiet of the kitchen it was broken by my little gasps and slowly Kakashi's low grumbles of what I think was pleasure.

Daring, I brought my own palm to rub against the rough fabric of his trousers where a bulge was beginning. I lowered my lips to suck on his neck again. While revelling in the power of making Kakashi like his, his groans louder in my ear and finally I felt his own lips sucking my subtle flesh in his mouth before releasing it gently.

I moaned. My head lolling between my shoulder blades presenting my neck for further ministrations which Kakashi obliged me.

I moaned again when I felt the rough nip of fabric and between grasping my collar bone. "Kakashi…"

There was something in the back of my mind that was telling me this was wrong. _But how on earth could this be wrong? _

While I was swirling my thoughts in my head, Kakashi began to grind against me, prying my legs further apart and pressing me hard against the sink behind me, the cool metal a complete juxtaposition from the flaming body in front of me, every time his body brushed against me it was like I had pins and needles all over me.

I swear every time I opened my eyes the world was coloured in a pink hue.

_Wait… pink hue? _

…_Pink…_

…_.hair….._

_SHIT! SAKURA! _

"Wait, Sakura…" I tried to garble out but I could barely focus as Kakashi was nosing right between my breasts, so close to the painful pricks that my nipples were making through the shirt.

Kakashi groaned and I know this time it wasn't because of anything sexual.

"You're right," Kakashi sighed, not yet moving from his position of paying homage to my breasts. They ached with the need for him to move his head slightly to the left or the right. His moist breath left me dizzy and I dumbly tried to push him away again.

Straightening, Kakashi placed a hand on the back of his neck. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head, my vision already feeling less focused now that I wasn't with contact with him. I already felt more sober, with my adrenaline pumping through me and to a certain… _ahem_, area.

"No it was my fault, being so bloody selfish and _knowing_ she was my friend as well!" I hid my blushing face in my hands. "I am a despicable human being."

"I think we are both to blame. Don't worry," Kakashi said reassuringly, rubbing my scalp good naturedly. "I shouldn't have done it because it was taking advantage of you and you shouldn't have done it because of you're still recovering."

I nodded the sexual flush still evident on my cheeks. "Yes, maybe we should just not tell anyone this happened? I know Sakura would be really hurt."

Kakashi nodded too.

I gave a smile and although I was reluctant, I placed a hand on his shoulder and said:

"I know you don't believe her but Sakura really does want to try again and to be honest I think she makes you happy despite your better judgement."

Kakashi gave a little laugh before ruffling my hair one more time and walked out of the room to the bedroom.

I sighed, rubbing my face, when my hand pulled away with was covered in a black mess. I groaned, face palming probably smearing my make up even worse.

_Oh, well_, I thought, heading towards the couch to make my bed.

While we agreed we wouldn't sleep together, I knew that for Sakura, I needed to control myself. That meant no close contact if I could help it because frankly, while Kakashi would be able to not let this affect our relationship, I couldn't be so sure for myself.

I felt of dart of electricity go down to my crotch remembering his hard body pressing against mine, his mouth biting down on my skin…

I fanned myself, picking up one of Kakashi's t-shirts from the table before curling up on the couch. I frowned and turned this way and that trying to get comfortable and with an irritable sigh I reached behind me to unclip my bra, my breasts finally out of their jail.

I finally nuzzled into the flat cushions, relieved and relaxed. Not as comfortable as his bed, I thought to myself mournfully before closing my eyes.

"Jenny?" Kakashi called from presumably the bedroom. "Are you not coming to bed?"

I gave a vague wave over the lip of the couch, my limbs beginning to ache from exhaustion of the entire day. "We need to be serious about Sakura, so we need to sleep in different areas."

"Jenny, don't be stupid," Kakashi said exasperated. "You aren't going to be able to sleep like this."

"Watch me," I mumbled petulantly, burying my face further into the couch, turning my back on him.

I felt a sigh brush the back of my neck, before the sofa squeaked as Kakashi rested his body on it.

"What are you doing?"

"Sleeping," Kakashi said quietly. He wriggled his feet further into my face.

"I don't want you here!" I finally protested.

"So you are saying, you don't want me to stay with you?" Kakashi asked knowingly.

I started to argue back but then my tense body slumped and even buried my face into his trousers.

"Stay with me," I mumbled.

"Sorry what was that?" Kakashi asked, amusement colouring his tone. "I don't think I caught that."

"Stay with me!" I burst out loudly. I blushed, thanking the dark for covering me and my embarrassment.

We were quiet for a while, a little longer and I would have thought that he was already going to sleep.

"That was all you had to say," Kakashi said quietly, his hand rubbed my calf soothingly. "I'm used to this. Don't ever be embarrassed about asking for comfort. You don't want to end up like me."

We were quiet for a few minutes.

"Kakashi?"

"Mmm?"

"Thank you."


	6. Cosplay? Count Me In!

Cosplay? Count Me In!

"**Stay with me!" I burst out loudly. I blushed, thanking the dark for covering me and my embarrassment. **

**We were quiet for a while. A little longer and I would have thought that he was already going to sleep. **

"**That was all you had to say," Kakashi said quietly, his hand rubbed my calf soothingly. "I'm used to this. Don't ever be embarrassed about asking for comfort. You don't want to end up like me." **

**We were quiet for a few minutes. **

"**Kakashi?" **

"**Mmm?" **

"**Thank you." **

…o0o…

I groaned as light filtered bright on my face.

"Ahhh," I groaned, shading my face with my hand. "What is this evil?"

"It's something called a hang over," I heard a voice reply to me blearily from the other end of the sofa. "I think someone is coming through the door."

I groaned again, flopping back down on my cushion, trying to find an angle where I could get the sunlight out of my eyes.

"I don't get hang overs anymore. Self-healing body remember? But I agree," I yawned, hearing the rattle of a key going in multiple times. "But that noise is pretty annoying."

"Kakashi?" a familiar voice called through the door. "I'm coming in."

In my stuffy mind, it didn't really occur to me who it could've been until their pink hair was visible and they gasped in now recognisable outrage.

"What is this?" Sakura cried, her eyes already watering up her eyes zoning in on my removed bra lying haphazardly on the low table.

I could see where she was coming from, I really could. We were as close as sardines in a tin and I was wearing her boyfriend's shirt and had no visible shorts on. _Because I wasn't wearing any,_ I thought to myself in dread.

The fact that we were at opposite ends of the sofa was irrelevant, the simple fact was that Kakashi was bare from his waist upwards and I was naked from the waist downwards.

I hurriedly tried to get up and managed to crumple to the floor in an ungainly heap.

"And you aren't even wearing knickers!" Sakura shrieked.

I winced. While not hung over, I still felt dull, like I was a piece of silver that hadn't seen the light in a while and had become tarnished.

"Thong," I managed out, turning my head to look up at Sakura's reddening face. "Nothing happened I promise! In fact, I'll let you guys talk it out because I-uh-need to-um-"

I hesitated, frantically trying to think of an excuse before I spotted a pair of running shorts flopping out of the plastic shopping bag. I snapped my fingers.

"Yes! That's it! I have to-_need_ _to_-go out for my run so I'm going go to get changed, bye!"

Skipping over to my bag of sports gear, I all but sprinted into the bathroom, changing with a speed that a cheetah would envy and was knotting up the laces of my trainers when the door opened and I saw Kakashi leaning in the door.

"You don't have to leave for us," he said quietly. Obviously Sakura was nearby.

I shook my head before he had even finished speaking. "It's alright, you guys _really_ need to hash things out. This is just going to be a wank load of awkward if we don't deal with while the wounds fresh otherwise it becomes infected and festers."

"How metaphorical of you," Kakashi commented dryly.

Walking up to him, I patted his cheek patronisingly. "Well, I do try," I said walking past him and into the living room. "Okay see you guys in either twenty minutes or however long it pleases me!"

Giving a little wave, I was almost out of the door when I heard my name.

I looked back to see Kakashi coming out of the bedroom and dangled a chain with a number of keys hanging off the edge in front of my face before shoving it in my hand.

"So you can get back in," he clarified, giving me a little nudge the rest of the way out of the door.

I dumbly held the variety of different keys, watching the door being shut in my face. There was a moment of stunned silence before I could hear murmurs through the door which kick started me into moving away, delicately stepping down the stairs before I paused to stretch.

Finding there was a neat long chain leading to the keys, I looped it over my head in an odd necklace that I knew I was going to regret wearing it when I actually began to jog.

That was a predicament, I thought to myself. Which way was I going to run?

Shrugging, I took off towards to the market, it was a good fifteen minutes walking, running maybe half that. Maybe I could browse the products when I got there?

I continued with me just focusing on the steady thrumming and warming of my muscles, despite my dull feeling. I couldn't help but revel in the steady pump of my heart sending rich, red, oxygenated blood throughout my body.

I inhaled deeply trying to scent everything around me and was so distracted that I didn't realise I was at the market place so soon only a slight sheen of sweat, telling me I was working.

Frowning, not really winded, I continued on past.

On past Midnight Lace down some roads where it began to get even livelier and from what I could tell it was now where the cafes and the restaurants resided, with their patrons weaving in and out and between the other people, milling in their daily life.

I began to feel the pain of a stitch and I slowed down to massage that spot just below my rib with a grimace before I began to examine all the different shops with interest.

There were different cafes and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw some were themed, some were butler cafes, others were orientated around the servicemen just wearing glasses.

I flushed when one man sent my sweaty, apres club and run body, a wink and a flick of their floppy black hair.

Continuing on, I saw the difference in clientele on each side of the street. On the right it seemed the women and girls alike wandered, casually walking into the male eye candy cafes while the men and boys chattered eagerly on the left side of the street, all but swaggering into the shops where I saw the women in scantily clad clothes served in tea houses.

Gaping, I breached the gap in the segregation between the genders and walked to where I thought I saw Ino bustling past the inviting window display.

Pushing the door open, the tinkling of a bell alerted my presence to the blonde who at the sight of another customer turned her annoyed look towards me until she saw my dishevelled form she actually cried out in relief her French maid uniform, rustling as she threw herself into my arms.

"Oh thank Kami!" Ino almost sobbed into my shoulder, "I have never been so happy to see another human being in my entire life!"

I pushed her away slightly, eyeing the rest of the room pointedly, the boys salivating as Ino's maid uniform inched that little bit higher showing her garters.

"They don't count!" Ino fisted her hands on her hips, flicking her fringe irritably out of her eyes. "But I am not above begging."

I raised my eyebrow in question.

"I may or may not have fired my assistant, so now I am without any workers and she was the only one out of the two of us who could even bake!" Ino seemed on the verge of tears. "So I am begging you, as newly acquired friends," she took a fortifying breath. "Can you please help me today?"

I paused, allowing Ino to sweat it out a bit.

"Do I get to wear the uniform?" I asked solemnly.

She looked confused and hesitantly said, "yes?"

I instantly grinned which Ino soon mirrored and dragged my arm to the back room where I heard the protests of the other patrons.

Shoving me out the side door, she jogged through the little alley way before jingling her keys in a clear door with bars welded in front of the glass.

Then there was a series of narrow stairs, internally I sighed.

What about this place meant that you could have shit stairs?

Honestly, I was seriously going to trip and then damage myself, just to prove a point but I knew Ino really needed my help this time so I continued on my dangerous walk up the stairs.

We finally reached the top of the concrete stairs and Ino rummaged around in her breasts for another key which she produced with a flourish and put it in the lock.

With a click, the door swung open and she proceeded to drag me to a bathroom where Ino ordered me "Strip. Clean. Uniform outside the door."

With that Ino rushed out again, leaving me stunned and just when I was about to go after her, I heard the door slam.

Sighing to myself I quickly did as she ordered, scrubbing all the sweat off my body and changed quickly into my outfit including garters. With a grimace I replaced my sweaty knickers on again not confident enough to go commando.

Luckily the shoes she lent me were my size and it almost creeped me out how in sync she was, although the shoes weren't the heels that she was wearing.

Pushing my blue wet hair into two pony tails just behind the frilly white lace hat, I soldiered to the door, tying my apron around my waist as I went.

Carefully walking down the narrow stairs, the only thing making it better than Kakashi's was that it didn't have cracks or weeds going out of it to trip you to send you to your death.

Tentatively pushing through the barred door, nothing giving me the confidence more than the thought that someone wasn't going to come out and stab me.

With a dainty toe peeking through the gap and finding it not with me lying in a pool of my own blood, I sprinted to the side door and ducked down into a kitchen where smoke was escaping and the smell of burnt sugar overwhelmed everything else.

Coughing, I left the window open and dashed to the oven to save the confectionary.

"Gah!" I wheezed, abandoning the flaming tray outside, stamping on the, what looked to be, croissants on the floor, tamping out the flames.

With a sigh, I looked at the pitiful pastry, shaking my head.

I felt a presence join me at my side, I looked up and saw Ino's face.

"I can't cook can I?"

Slowly I shook my head as she forlornly bowed her head for a moment before she lighted up again.

"But that's why you are here," she said determined. "You are going to cook so many come worthy crumpets that this place is going to be dripping white!"

I gaped at her in horrified amusement before I gave into the giggles that were overwhelming me. Patting her on the shoulder, I fanned my way into the smoky room, immediately reaching for the mixing bowls and the ingredients littered all over the work surfaces.

With a horrified gasp I quickly darted to the scales where in a fit of anger had been thrown against a wall. With small whimpers, I stroked it as if it had feelings.

"What are you doing?" Ino yelled as she bustled past the door, giving the men their beverages.

"Apologising to this poor thing that had to undergo your bad temper!" I yelled back, continuing to clean.

"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't know!" she retorted. "Get back to the cooking!"

Rolling my eyes and grumbling, I turned to wiping down the surface before washing my hands and turning to make the batter. I didn't need scales any way. They were more of a guideline than an actual measure of tastiness, I thought to myself with a smirk leaning into the fridge to remove the ingredients from its hungry belly.

The familiar feeling of beating the butter and sugar together into a sugary yellow paste and placing chocolate chips in, giving a mild case of the brown chicken pox gave me a little joy and I couldn't help but hum to myself feeling myself fall into the familiar role.

"We need more crumpets Lightbulb!" Ino called through the door, whisking away the tray of freshly baked cookies.

I growled.

"Watch who you are calling Lightbulb, Dandelion!" I yelled back, over the sound of the whisk.

There was a squeal and the sound of a clatter. I froze.

She better not have let my cookies spill. I turned back to stirring the mixture but I couldn't help but wonder.

She wouldn't have…?

Dropping my wooden spoon I raced out to the front where I saw Ino gratefully thanking a man, the tray of cookies all piled on the tray still with the other men of the room salivating over the smell.

"The cookies…" I trailed off when I saw that it was the man with the fangs on his face and I couldn't help but flush at my ratty form.

I hurriedly wiped my sweaty palms with the tea towel which I had mistakenly thought would save those little circles of goodness and held out my probably still dusty hand.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I have seen you around…" I trailed off and cocked my head to the side as if I was suddenly remembering.

The tanned man took it upon himself to make the introduction and sidestepped Ino stretching out his beautifully corded arm leading to a large hand.

"I'm Kiba," he said, giving me a roguish grin, showing his fangs.

I smiled coyly, trying to seem embarrassed.

Hell, who was I even kidding? I was already humiliated that I was caught without make up, flushed and probably covered in flour and batter.

The only thing that could make this worse is if he saw my knickers. While there were garters in the uniform, it was connected to an elastic belt that tightens around the midriff but the knickers are the same gross sweaty granny white ones. But no one was going to see them right?

I had to tempt fate now, didn't I?

A fellow of about fifteen had been sneaking up behind me and just as I was about to shake his hand dug his hand up my frilly skirt pushing it up to my waist showing the monstrosities to the entire café which with the perv aside, was filled with _very_ attractive men.

I squawked in horror and covered my face as I ran to the kitchen to hide.

I could feel my face burning up. Maybe I could sneak away to get my sweaty gross clothes and then I could run to the flat, hide there and never come out again?

Internally, I thought this was a brilliant plan but for the sake of appearing sane, I didn't want to seem… like a bat shit crazy hermit, I think it is referred to.

Shaking my head, making my long, blue pony tails snap around my shoulders.

"Just man the fuck up," I hissed to myself, angrily rolling out the sweet dough for the bread I was making simultaneously as the scones before I was interrupted.

"What has the dough ever done to you?" A particularly, rugged, tanned hand reached out to pause my hand that was brutally beating it until it was as thin as a pancake.

Growling, I balled it into a ball again and threw it back on the table, before I looked up to look into the grinning face of Kiba.

"It existed," I said flippantly. My cheeks still flagging red in mortification over the past event.

Kiba nodded solemnly before smirking and rolled up his impossibly tight black long sleeved t-shirt and began to put different elements for some kind of confectionary.

Confused, I turned back to focusing on the bread and was rolling out carefully.

What was he doing? I was peeking out from under my eyelashes, trying to understand while he beat a batter that looked like the beginning of some kind of citrus cake.

"Not to be rude," I coughed, hesitating for a moment before I continued. "But what are you doing?"

Kiba looked up confused. "I am baking?"

"Yes, I see that but I meant, _why_ are you baking here?" I blushed again from my rudeness. "No-not that I don't appreciate it!"

Lord above, please send me a sign that you are witnessing my suffering and open the ground beneath me in mercy.

Kiba looked up at me from under his eyelashes to shoot me a look.

Okay, ignore me then God.

I flushed again and turned back to my dough. _Great first impression, Jenny. It's a wonder you have any friends at all._

"I'm here because Ino asked me to," he finally said through the awkward silence.

"Oh," I said knowingly, my smile coming back easier now that it was he who began the conversation. "By ask you mean, almost held you at knife point or did she use the eyes on you too?"

"The eyes," he muttered bitterly.

I laughed before placing my sweet dough on the tray for rising and turning to the batch of cookies I had started with. Quick and easy, cookies were the best for high demand.

"Well not many of us are well guarded against it!" he said defensively thinking I was teasing him.

I just shook my head, smiling. "I'm not blaming you, I lucked out within the first five seconds of the tears," I whispered conspiratorially.

Kiba gave a throaty chuckle. "Well that's a relief to my masculinity; I lasted at least half a minute."

I gave him a cheeky wink before I continued to measure everything in silence.

"So what are we meant to be making?" Kiba broke the silence again.

I shrugged, pouring in the sugar with the butter again. "I'm just making whatever I feel like a café needs." I flipped my pony tails over my shoulders by shaking them a little. "Although, at the rate we are going, I don't think we are going to have enough ingredients."

He nodded, pouring the sweet, tangy smelling batter into a baking tin.

"Where did you learn to bake?" I asked, curious. My brother Nathaniel detested anything to do with the kitchen.

I felt a pang at the loss of the stupidness that followed him everywhere. He reminded me a little of Naruto when I first met him.

Feeling a hot pressure pressing on my heart, I vigorously put my shoulder to the ground and ignored the strain of my muscles and increased the pace to make it a creamy yellow. I didn't miss him.

I didn't.

Snorting, Kiba finished smoothing the top of the cake and was moving it to one of the numerous ovens to cook. "My mother thought that a man had to learn how to look after his woman when she's feeling down."

I laughed at his obvious dubiousness.

"Well, I'm sure the woman doesn't mind." I said encouragingly.

"There is no woman," Kiba corrected lightly.

I couldn't help that little rise in my chest at the thought of having that piece of ass if he'd take me but then I took in the expression on his face.

"But there is a woman you have in mind?" I asked gently, sieving the flour on top of the sugary butter. "Unrequited love?"

Kiba's brown eyes roamed over to me. "That obvious?"

I shrugged. "There cannot be with a guy looking like you," I teased well naturedly.

Kiba gave a hearty laugh before turning to fill the sink with soapy, hot water.

"What about you?" Kiba turned the question about on me.

I snorted. "Please, I'm not exactly girlfriend material," I joked, turning so he wouldn't see my face.

"Just because you don't believe so doesn't make it true," Kiba tried to say wisely.

I batted away the comment but I kept my gaze averted as I dolloped and shaped the cookies onto a baking tray.

There was a quiet cough at the doorway and I turned to see a shy blue haired beauty, hiding half of her body behind the door.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry t-to int-t-terupt but d-do you n-n-need any help?" she smiled timidly but I couldn't look past her eyes which were the colour of pearls with maybe a hint of purple in a different light.

I couldn't see her pupils though which creeped me out a bit but I couldn't help but grin where I saw Kiba was struggling with words before he finally nodded eagerly. If he was a dog, his tongue would be lolling on the floor.

"Ah, the woman," I muttered knowingly under my breath, just for Kiba, who in return shot me a glare that would have sent me cowering if I wasn't next to the knife block.

"I-I'm H-Hinata," she offered me a milky hand and I couldn't help but feel a bit unworthy touching her with my shiny, scar tissue covered hand.

Reluctantly, I placed my hand in hers. "Jenny."

When we pulled away I saw flour covered her hand, I gasped in horror. "Oh, I am so sorry!" I cried, trying to find a clean tea towel.

Hinata giggled, the sound of wind chimes which had me mesmerised. "Oh i-i-it's fine," Hinata batted my worry away, dipping her hand in the flour and smacked it on the table. "It is k-k-kind of inevitable c-c-cooking."

I shot her a smile before turning to the doorway again to see a pink haired kunoichi.

Embarrassed, I turned back to looking needlessly into the oven. I heard her steps clicking on the floor and I ducked my head even further, rubbing my nose with my knuckle.

"Uh, Jenny if you want to come out here for a bit?" Sakura said nervously.

I peeked up at her from the corner of my eye, unsure of where we stood but when I caught the faint scent of tea tree and spearmint and I looked over her shoulder to see Kakashi leaning on the wall next to the door, orange book open in one of the final chapters.

"We want to go for a drink. Anyone?" Kakashi drawled, never once looking up from his book.

Sakura shot him an annoyed look. "Actually we have an announcement," Sakura cleared her throat.

I pretended to gasp in shock. "Please tell me you're not pregnant with that man's spawn!" I clasped my throat and looked away as if in shame.

Sakura fisted her hands on her hips angrily, ignoring the light giggles from Hinata and the less than quiet guffaws from Kiba. I couldn't help but feel the rush of relief when I heard Kakashi give one of his heart warming chest chuckles too, that he quickly tried to disguise as a cough much to Sakura's annoyance.

"She would be so lucky," Kakashi shot me a look from above his book.

Sakura scowled and threw her hands in the air. "Whatever, but what I wanted to say was we're together now!" she said exasperated.

Kiba's brow furrowed. "Who's we?"

Kakashi silently put his hand up while the other casually turned another page in his porn.

"Kakashi?" Kiba cried incredulously looking between the two.

I rolled my eyes but took out a batch of cookies from the oven and began arranging them on another tray. I saw a gloved hand trying to sneak one from right under my nose.

Never taking my eyes away from presenting the cookies beautifully I slapped Kakashi's hand hard.

Kakashi flinched away but ruffled my hair indulgently.

I ducked with a frown, trying to ignore the strong rush of pure air flooding my lungs with the now vibrant scents. I looked up at him and that was all the distraction Kakashi needed to grab a cookie and stuff it in his pocket.

"Hey!" I protested, reaching instantly to smack Kakashi in the arm. "Give that back!"

Kakashi was leaning against the counter, one hand held the counter behind him while the other cradled the book in his hand. He didn't even bother to look up as he spoke to me much to my irritation.

"Come and take it then; you know where it is," he pointed out.

While a lesser woman would be embarrassed about sticking her hand down a man's trousers, I thought me and Kakashi were beyond the point of embarrassment when it came to the other.

Inhaling deeply to control my temper I immediately stuck my hand down his trouser pocket to retrieve the fluff covered cookie, causing Kakashi's visible eye to pop wide open. I couldn't help but almost stumble at the sensation overload where I could feel the fibres of his trousers, the muscles tightening beneath my palm, the sharp focus of his black long sleeved t-shirt.

Sakura gave an outraged gasp and smacked me on the back of my head.

"Hey!" I cried, rubbing the sore spot. "It's not my fault he stole my cookie!"

Sakura raised her hand to Kakashi who caught it easily. "Not my fault she makes Cunt Clenching Cookies."

There was a stunned silence following his statement and I smacked my forehead with a batter and flour covered hand.

"Why do you hate me?" I looked upwards as if I was asking some deity.

"W-why? Just why?" Kiba croaked.

I covered my face in my palms, shaking my head.

"That's what Jenny's friends call her cookies," Kakashi said cheerfully in the ominously silent kitchen.

"I just want to point out that I don't condone the use of the c-word in my kitchen," I grumbled.

"What? Cunt?" Kiba's brow furrowed.

I scowled and raised myself so I was standing straighter and nodded primly.

"Cunt? Is that the word you don't like? Cunt? Was it cunt I heard?" Kakashi asked, feigning innocence. "Anyone here not like the word cunt?"

I glared harshly at him, just silently daring him to say it one more time.

Kakashi just grinned, deliberately turning his page with a loud rustle.

Rolling my eyes, I turned to the door. "I'll ask Ino if I can go home, I'll need to go get some clothes."

I heard the snapping of a book closed behind me and felt the light tapping of shoe soles hitting the floor behind me. So familiar with his tread, I knew it was Kakashi following me. Without turning around I spoke.

"You don't need to follow me home, I know where it is."

I could fell the rustle of his shoulders moving up and down in a nonchalant shrug. "I need to go home anyway to survey the damage of my flat."

I halted. Turning slowly, I raised an eyebrow at Kakashi. "Damage?"

Kakashi paused in his walk to me and shared a surreptitious glance with Sakura.

Anger flared up inside me, knowing I wasn't going to like what they were going to say next.

"What damage?" I snarled.

Kakashi raised his hands in a placating gesture. I was not soothed.

"What damage, Kakashi?" I repeated, my face heating up in dread and anger.

Storming to Ino and snatching her keys from her belt despite her protest I stomped all the way up to her apartment, picking up my sweaty gym clothes stripping down to my sweaty underwear despite the shriek of outrage from Sakura, knowing that she and the others had followed me up stairs.

"Firefly-" Kakashi began but I cut him off savagely.

"Don't." I said as I jumped into my still damp running shorts, unbuckling the garter belt around my midsection, I let it fall to the floor.

Somewhere in my brain, I knew I was over reacting, blowing the entire situation out of proportion but I just couldn't help but think of all the situations they could've gotten into.

Naked situations.

Knife situations.

The final thought sent me at a run out of the apartment my skin tingling with apprehension, pushing the spectators out of the way, all but racing back to the flat, the jumble of keys bouncing on my chest.

Yanking off the heavy metal, I held it in a furious fist and I could hear pounding footsteps behind me that I knew could catch up with me at any time but were choosing to hang after me.

That just made me even angrier that they didn't even consider me as a threat to their actual stamina. Pushing my feet faster, I heard a grunt of surprise from someone as they pushed themselves after me.

"Don't get mad," Kakashi called after me.

I just flipped him my middle finger, not turning from my destination and in the distance I saw those bloody steps leading up to the flat.

When I reached them, I barely cared about scraped knees and continued up them two at a time slipping now and then before I managed to clamber to the door. This is when Kakashi seemed to realise that maybe I shouldn't go in there.

"Maybe we can come back later? You know when you are less," he paused, looking me up and down. "Crazy. Have a nice drink between friends and-"

"Kakashi," I cut him off. "When I go inside how much am I going to hate you and-slash-or resent your very existence on this planet?"

He seemed to give it a thought and this allowed the time for the rest of our rat tag group to join us where I saw Sakura's red face and I looked to Kakashi's apologetic one.

"What have you done?" I breathed, a fear tightening my chest cavity.

"I just want you to bear in mind that it was a crime of passion and she wasn't responsible-"

"Responsible for _what_?" I snarled, turning away from him I put the key in the lock and turned, despite Kakashi's warning hand covering my own.

Walking in, I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Maybe a glass shattered on the floor, a used condom lying abandoned on the low table. I don't know, but seeing the sofa, Kakashi's pride and joy hole ridden, explained by a loose kunai lying next to the bleeding white cushion a jumble of wooden pieces shocked me into solidifying on the spot. That was the least of the problems.

My mouth opened in horror when I saw holes in walls that weren't exactly glory holes nor spy holes. No, these were craters that had the crumbling plaster hanging by a thread in some places while in others they would be found on the wooden slats.

But what made me give a little whine of disbelief were my clothes which were in their different bags had been strewn out everywhere.

That wasn't even the worst of it.

I bent to pick up a dress that I knew I loved and saw savage slices ruining it. I sobbed, clutching my dress and fell to the floor.

_This is why we can't have nice things_, a voice that sounded suspiciously like my father's when I came home from a particularly muddy house bash back when I lived with them.

I buried my face in the destroyed fabric, trying to hide my tears.

It wasn't even my flat but I couldn't help the roar of agony I muffled in my dress and the fact all my belongings had been ruined.

I didn't even have enough money to buy new replicas either.

Speaking of replicas, my head shot up and I crawled desperately towards the bag where it was last and I saw the orange cover and the shredded pages.

I let out a croak as I surveyed the old Icha Icha that I had bought for myself since no matter how much I tried to convince him, Kakashi wouldn't lend his to me. I then hunted for the palm sized painting which I had bought on a whim because I thought it reminded me of the farm fields which I had left behind.

With gentle hands I picked it up from the debris of loose paper, sofa stuffing and glass pieces to see the canvas flopping lifelessly off its frame.

My very spine seemed to give up and I slumped forward as I let the tears of loss spread across my face.

Everything I owned in this fucked up place, _destroyed_.

My tears dried up when I thought of what my true emotion should've been: _anger_.

My mouth tightened and I stepped up from my kneeled position, a supplication to the non-existent deity before I pivoted on my heel to glare at the audience.

I looked to the door. There they all stood. Kakashi with his head bowed standing just inside the door, propping the door open with his back, his grey eye refusing to meet my gaze.

My attention turned to the people further back, Hinata looked around in equal horror as me and Kiba looked shocked too but what my attention focused on was Sakura's tearful face, her toe digging into the mess that had been her and Kakashi's fault.

_Sakura's_, I amended. Kakashi wouldn't so that to me… would he?

"Who. Did. This?" I hissed through gritted teeth.

No one answered, least of all Kakashi which cut me in my already broken heart.

"_Who did this?_" I cried out again.

I stared desperately at Kakashi willing him to look up.

Finally, someone out there granted me my wish because, shamefaced, Kakashi looked up beneath those long lashes of his.

"In Sakura's defence-" he began.

I pushed my hand up in a nonverbal sign for him to stop.

"Shut the fuck up, Kakashi," I whispered deadly. "Just shut. The fuck_._ _Up_."

I turned my gaze to Sakura who looked up at me in apology.

"Jenny I-" Sakura tried.

"I said, _shut the fuck up!_" I shouted. "Honestly-I mean-_seriously_-just what _ -just what the fuck were you thinking? _JUST WHAT EVEN?"

I prided myself of being a person who never swore in excess. I swore sure but in anger? Not so much.

"Sure it's all fine and dandy that you are with Kakashi, I mean _seriously_ that's just _great_ that you fucking broke his heart then come back with an _'I'm sorry' after fucking behind his back_, _destroying_ his flat and probably shagging to your heart's content but," I breathed deeply through my nose, trying to oxygenate my tirade. "What the fuck even is_ this?_"

I gestured to my clothes that were torn and ridiculed. In some cases I saw them hanging limply from the light shade and I saw my torn bras and knickers lying in the heap of regret and disappointment.

"I haven't even done much to you, to deserve this! I know we didn't have the greatest start but _just what on this entire fucking planet, the fucking universe, did you think that this was okay?!_ I mean just why did you think this was the okay way to get back me? This was a dick and bitchy and _childish_ move on _so_ many levels! This was a bitter, jealous, petty move given by a stupid, worthless, horrible human being!

You are the reason why I have given up on humanity! You are the _fucking_ _reason_ why I hate people!"

Somewhere along my rage I thought, _I'm acting just as bad as she was._

But in the heat of the moment, my blood thrumming in time with my beating pulse I stormed up to Sakura raised my hand and brought it flat against her face in the first proper slap I have ever given someone.

I can safely say it was the most wonderful feeling of seeing their face snap to the side, the flaming burn of your wrist as it couldn't take the force of your inner rage and the pink hand shaped mark, marring that flawless skin.

Turning on my heel I fumed over to the bathroom where I slammed the door, wishing I could lock it to bar even Kakashi from coming in but of course, Sakura had already broken the lock on this door too.

I stripped myself in angry movements and slid into the shower, barely waiting for the cold water to heat to hot. I heard the door opening and closing despite a shrieking girl's voice in the back ground.

I tensed and my mouth tightened into a scowl again. Angrily, I wetted my hair under the steady stream and soaped my hand with shampoo before roughly scrubbing my hair with the gloop. I wasn't going to forgive him.

I wasn't.

"I'm sorry," I heard his contrite voice over the heavy patter of the shower.

I just kept scowling, ignoring the apology. _Apology not accepted_.

"I just don't know what came over her, you have every right to be angry." Kakashi said quietly. So soft that I had to strain to listen to him. "Admittedly, you have even more reason to be angry at me for not stopping her sooner."

That annoyed me that he was saying I was right, that he was being too accepting to his fate of my fury.

"I will try to get her to replace everything," that made me snap.

Sticking my head out of the shower curtain, uncaring of the water streams that I was sending to the unprotected floor, I glared at him, forcing him to stop.

"She wouldn't need to replace everything if you had stopped her, or in fact maybe stood back and _let_ her destroy my shit! And there will be no '_I will try to'_ you _will_ get her to buy replacements!"

I replaced the shower curtain with a screech.

Kakashi's sigh, vibrated around the confined bathroom.

"I know I deserve that but you have to realise, Sakura's in a bad place right now, being forced to choose between me and her past love and probably seeing me with you lying on the couch with you didn't help matters any."

"No shit," I muttered, scrubbing the smell of mango all over my body, rinsing away the tears, flour and sweat from my body. "Doesn't make it right. But you fucked up just as royally as she has at the moment."

"Don't be angry with me," Kakashi's voice came through the shower curtain closer than I thought and I glanced to the side to see a shadow standing just outside my cubicle and even behind the opaque sheet I could see the silhouette of his gravity defying hair.

Shaking my head, I could still feel heat simmering in my heart. I just needed some distance.

"Did any of my stuff survive?" I asked, ignoring his silent question for forgiveness.

"Yes, the clothes you _did_ manage to put away," Kakashi replied, albeit more hesitantly unsure if the change in my tone was a positive one or not.

"Can you get the fuck away from the shower then so I can get out?" I snarked, my anger still evident from my coarse language.

Kakashi wisely backed away from the cubicle and I then didn't really care if he saw me naked and casually stepped out where I saw he was staring at the adjacent wall so probably see me from his peripheral.

I snorted and bent to retrieve the towel from the railing and bound it around my torso. Spying my bandages on my arms, the furious pain wasn't as bad as usual and I thought to myself that I could take them off soon.

Reaching for the cabinet with the dressings, my fingers brushed Kakashi's at the same time. I scowled up at him, snatching my fingers away, dulling my head again so everything darkened a shade.

When he pulled his hand back too I quickly darted my hand back in, to grab a couple of rolls before stalking out of the steam filled room to the slightly cooler hallway where I could hear an oppressive silence emanating from the living room.

Probably so awkward with the realisation of what she did.

Rolling my eyes, I went into the bedroom, dropping my towel and plucking a focused finger under my greying, yellow bandages.

"What are you doing?" his bored voice followed me into his room.

I squeaked and ducked back down for the towel to cover at least some of the bare essentials. "What are you doing?"

"What are _you_ doing?" Kakashi retorted, grabbing my arm brusquely, inspecting my arm before unwinding the binding further. "Pushing me away for your pride is stupid and if you were in the field it would get you killed."

I tried tugging my arm out of his to no avail. "Well, I'm never leaving this bloody village again so you don't have to pretend to worry about me getting killed." I faced away as I felt the heavy fabric be released further.

There was a silence, which didn't have Kakashi removing my bandages. I dared a look to see his expression but I might as well have stared at a brick wall for what it told me.

"You are never leaving Konoha again?" Kakashi asked, his voice oddly neutral.

I shrugged, brushing his hands off the skin of my arm as I could feel every evaporating drop on my feverish skin and no matter how angry at Kakashi I was I couldn't help myself when he gave me a smile or said something unexpectedly funny. I couldn't hold a grudge to save my life.

But for the most part, I was still angry, I didn't think I could stay with him that night.

Briskly, untying the ends, I finally looked at my arm in its brutal glory and I couldn't help my sigh of resignation as I left it and rushed to get my other arm uncovered.

I ignored the new bandages as I turned my back on the grey haired man I left them bare for the first time and other than a little resentment I answered Kakashi.

"Yep. Never leaving again," I tried to say cheerfully but I think it came off a bit flat.

"What of the sights you've never seen, the snow, the books!" Kakashi said, I heard his feet behind me and I could feel the fine hairs on my back pricking up to stretch towards his presence.

"I am not dealing with another torture session for my efforts," I said shortly, walking over to the drawers where I knew I had my underwear and I couldn't help my happy squeal when I saw I had some nice underwear that had survived the Culling of Sakura.

Sliding them up my naked legs it barely occurred to me that Kakashi would be struggling with the sight of all the naked flesh in front of him, despite the scars.

Turning to the drawer filled with my dresses I saw a floaty deep purple had survived too and soon I was rolling it over my torso already covered in fabric. I began to tie my hair into its customary twin pony tails.

I turned, finding Kakashi was leaning on his bookcase, his eye completely unreadable.

The room seemed to fill with some kind of crackling tension.

"I would protect you," he said finally.

I shook my head, finishing my second pony tail, walking past him to re-join the group. "You didn't last time," internally I winced but outwardly, I gave no sign of caring about his feelings and I saw my last words had finally hit home, where his eye seemed to harden into the strongest metal alloy before he nodded and followed me to where everyone else was.

…o0o…

Kakashi followed behind the hurt blue haired girl, silently sighing at himself for getting in this situation. Even he knew that he wasn't getting out of this with an unspoken apology.

Finding everyone in the living room, he saw Jenny plaster on a fake smile for Kiba and Hinata both of which looked like they wished that they were anywhere but right there.

Kakashi braved a glance at Sakura and saw she was fuming. She wasn't exactly happy when Kakashi, after checking she was okay, chased after Jenny. She had her arms folded across her chest, subtly amplifying her bust size.

"So, where are we going for that drink?" Jenny while smiling still asked Sakura.

If Kakashi didn't have a mask over his face, they would have seen his mouth drop open.

Jenny was talking to Sakura… as if nothing had happened? Yet was treating him like he killed her cat?

Admittedly, he probably could've stopped Sakura when she first started on Jenny's clothes but just… didn't. He didn't even know why.

Sakura looked over at Kakashi confused, although her eyes were still hardened against him. He just shrugged. Her guess was as good as his.

Jenny looked at her expectantly, her eyebrow raised. "Well? Where are we drinking? Any good bars? Maybe the pub?"

Everyone remained silent and he couldn't help but look to the ceiling as if that would have some answer that would fix this mess. Clearing his throat, everyone turned to Kakashi expectantly. Rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, his other hand reached out to touch his book of Icha Icha comfortingly.

"I'm thinking maybe we could go to the pub tonight," he said as casually as possible. "It just happens to be cheaper than the majority of the cocktail bars."

Jenny's mouth tightened but nodded her head briefly before turning to a shy Hinata, dragging her and without looking, pulled a Kiba too towards the door.

Sakura and Kakashi followed more reluctantly. After shutting the door, they all made their way precariously down the stairs.

"How much do you think that Jenny hates us?" Sakura asked, pushing herself onto her tip toes leaning into his muscled arm, unconsciously squishing them against him.

It was all he could do to appear nonplussed and look her dead in the eye.

"You are going to have to pay her back, I'm going to have to do some serious grovelling," Kakashi said, thinking aloud.

Sakura gave a huff of frustration. "I _know_ that I would have to pay her back, that was a given but," Sakura paused chewing on her lip, ahead of them they heard Jenny's chiming laugh. "Do you have to make up with Jenny? I mean, you don't _have_ to keep her in your house any longer, we know now she couldn't be an enemy nin."

Kakashi's brow furrowed as he looked over at his new girlfriend and had his most chastising expression on his face from when she was genin.

"It may come as a surprise to you but I consider Jenny as one of my friends and those who leave their friends are worse than trash."

Sakura bowed her head in shame.

"You are right Kakashi, I'm sorry." She raised her eyes so that the green met the grey and a flash of heat flared up inside Kakashi when he realised that they were his alone now and couldn't help the uncharacteristic display of affection, curling his hand around her waist.

"It's okay, you just need to apologise to her," Kakashi lay a kiss on her forehead.

Sakura nodded and they continued on in silence, the humid air, making a slight layer of perspiration smother over the pores in his skin.

Kakashi kept his eye on the back of his roommate who turned around in time to catch him looking, flustered, he gave a wave, thanking kami he was a ninja to cover up his blunder.

Jenny reluctantly raised her hand to mirror his and turned back to Hinata and Kiba who she had not-so-subtly pushed together.

Kakashi lowered his hand slowly and tightened his hold on Sakura when he felt a familiar chakra signature and he could barely control his jealous fury towards him but satisfied himself with laying another kiss on the top of her head again.

He could feel the death being sent at him and casually as if he was observing his common surroundings, he spied him standing on a nearby roof top, his eyes glowing red in the dying afternoon light.

Slowly, Kakashi gave Sasuke an eye crinkle where he gave another wave but this one was more sarcastic and victorious.

His very skin was feeling alive with the electricity racing along the tiny hairs and his very chakra felt pulled to the pink haired kunoichi resting under his arm.

The very same kunoichi who couldn't keep the regretful tear falling down her face as she saw Sasuke's look of pained betrayal.

They continued walking, leaving behind the last Uchiha heir standing alone.

…o0o…

I couldn't stay mad at him for long. It was a waste of time, effort and energy.

While I enjoyed chatting with Hinata and Kiba, it was so difficult when I saw a one sided love and the obliviousness on the other side. It was insufferable, painful and I couldn't help the little pang of envy.

I couldn't say that I had forgiven him yet but I knew that I would give in soon. I just couldn't hold a grudge even when I _wanted_ to. It was another waste of time, effort and energy.

Shuffling along the booth until I was out, I trailed after Kakashi who had gone to buy the next round.

I carelessly slouched against the bar next to the grey haired man, picking at my finger nails. Kakashi's head tilted towards me, his eyes never leaving the bar man who was making the drinks, the only sign that Kakashi was aware of my presence.

"I finished the book by the way," I said, bridging the unspoken tension.

He didn't answer but nodded. My heart packed with lead, sank a little in my chest. He was probably still angry about earlier. I was getting the silent treatment. Well I deserved to be angry still too, yet I wasn't pouting over it. I had that moment.

"It was okay as far as smut goes," I offered, hoping that he would receive and return the favour.

Kakashi nodded again.

I bowed my head, my heart slowly losing beat as it lost one of its closest friends in this strange world.

A gloved hand chucked up my chin with the back of his fingers. I looked up, not allowing myself to hope that he wasn't angry. I saw the familiar eye crinkle and I couldn't help the smile that flashed across my face in joy.

"Why do you look so down?" he teased.

The tension I never realised I was holding in my chest was lost and swallowing my bitter comment about my clothes, I shrugged.

"Didn't know how you would react to me criticising your books," I smirked easily.

Kakashi raised his predictable eyebrow. "Criticising?" he scoffed. "Don't insult me. That was one of the best literary works you have read in a long time. Didn't your mother tell you not to lie?"

I grinned impishly. "Maybe once or twice, but I think she would agree with me at this point."

He rolled that obsidian eye of his before paying for the tray of drinks. I snatched my vodka and coke and started sipping through the straw while Kakashi picked the tray up to take back to the table to find Sasuke and Naruto waiting for us.

I waved at them.

"Hey!"

Naruto caught me up in a big bear hug that I swear I could feel my ribs creaking from the strain. I gasped.

There was a thump and an expected "Ow, Sakura-chan that hurt!" and I was released shortly after.

There was laughter from the rest of the table.

I pushed myself to my tip toes as if to inspect the damage. "Aw you poor baby," I teased, rubbing the spot softly.

Naruto gave me a sheepish grin. "It didn't hurt that much," he said bashfully before turning to pick up his lager from the table.

I spied Sakura obviously avoiding the strong stares from Sasuke on the end of the table and I couldn't help but feel a little bit of pity and my heart warmed towards him.

This time when Kakashi slid into the booth, I slid in next to him, ignoring Kiba's, Hinata's and Sakura's stares of disbelief as I tucked into my vodka and coke.

"Knew you could do it sensei!" Naruto crowed as if picking up where he left off.

Sakura blushed and it didn't look like she was particularly happy with this development and Kakashi looked as relaxed as usual with his orange book classically open half way through seeming to be ignoring everyone.

"Naruto!" Sakura hissed, her eyes flashing but when I snuck a look towards Sasuke he looked as if he didn't have a care in the world, who had turned his attention away from to the group and was now talking to a couple of giggling girls in the next booth over and I couldn't stop the pang of guilt as I saw while he had the smirk on his face, I saw he was determined to not look over at the pink haired girl.

Shaking my head, I saw I had sucked the remnants of my drink in my distraction and I mourned the loss.

"Hey Jenny," I heard from the opposite side of the table and I looked up to see Kiba tilting his head towards the bar. "You want me to buy your next drink?"

Giving him a grateful smile, I slid back out of the booth to follow after the lean shinobi.

Leaning against the bar top much alike when I was waiting with Kakashi, I perused the entire pub, I searched for any of Kakashi's friends from last night.

"What are you drinking?" Kiba asked, looking at me sideways.

I shrugged. "I'll take another vodka and coke, although make it a double this time, please."

I gave him a smile which he returned earnestly. We were both quiet as the bar tender sorted us out.

There was something bugging me and I couldn't help but nudge my nose with a knuckle trying to figure out how to ask. I wished for my long sleeves back so I could tug them over my wrists again.

"Jenny, whatever you want to say you can say it," Kiba said almost exasperatedly.

Startled, I looked up at him in surprise.

Kiba in return rolled his eyes and pointed to himself. "Ninja remember?"

I laughed and shook my head self-deprecatingly. "Right yeah, so stupid of me," I bit my lower lip in thought of how to begin. "Thank you for buying this for me. I wouldn't be able to otherwise."

Kiba shrugged my thanks off. "It's no problem."

"I just don't want you to think this is going to be a common occurrence," I had to add after we were quiet for another few moments.

"It's fine really. I'm just more shocked that Sakura would destroy your shit like that," Kiba said thoughtfully. "Like I knew her temper was bad but I never-" he cut off, opting to take the drinks that we had been offered and presented my drink with a flourish.

Rolling my eyes I thanked him and took a sip. We stood, silently drinking our alcoholic beverages.

"Do you," I hesitated, opting to take another gulp of my drink.

Kiba leaned his body towards me expectantly.

"Do you think she'll pay me back?" I finally broke out quietly under the hum of good nature from the rest of the pub.

Kiba seemed to think about this for a moment and we heard booming laughter come from our table and we both looked to see Naruto smacking the table and next to him a timid Hinata tucked under his arm.

"She would be indebted to you but I don't think she would be able to pay you back," Kiba finally said, his eyes never leaving the blonde haired man's arm from its position.

I tore my eyes away from the scene alarmed. "What?"

Kiba finally managed to rip his eyes away from Hinata to look back at my horrified face. "Knowing Sakura she would have already spent the little that she gained from the C class mission."

I frowned. "But I got a shit load of money from the mission," I said confused as I traced the wet circle made by the condensation on my glass.

"That was compensation money for a civilian. If you were a ninja you would be grumbling right now that you don't get paid enough," Kiba said matter of factly, taking another swig from his glass.

I looked over to our group of friends and I could feel the slight stuffing of my head and I could conclude I was slowly but surely getting intoxicated.

"Do you think I have a chance with her?" I heard Kiba moving closer to whisper in my ear.

I didn't have to ask who, I just knew.

I looked to the small girl and I couldn't help but feel a little pain for Kiba.

Sadly, I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but it looks like a no go."

I felt Kiba nodding next to me but I wasn't focusing on him anymore, I was looking at Sakura and Kakashi.

Kakashi's hand was conspicuously below the table and I saw Sakura's flushed face but looking at the ice water she had been drinking for the entire night, it didn't take a genius to figure out what the pervert was doing in the public.

Rolling my eyes, I huffed. I guessed I really had to find another place to sleep that night.

I turned my attention back to the tanned man who was closer than anticipated.

"I don't think I am going to be able to go home tonight, do you have a couch I could borrow?" I asked.

Kiba looked at me slowly, a shit eating grin coming onto his face with pleasure and he began to move.

Trying not to think of those biceps which were slowly enclosing me in the space between his body and the bar, Kiba moved himself in front of me and I tried to focus on his answer but I felt the blood flooding in my ears, numbing the sounds.

"I guess I could," Kiba said lowly, his eyes lazily roaming from my eyes to my lips before flicking back up to meet my shocked and slightly lusty stare. "But there would be a price."

Without removing my gaze from his, I placed my glass back on the bar top behind me, one of my icy fingers trailing up a forearm barrier to curl around a bicep experimentally. I felt him flex under my hand. I gave a small sultry laugh.

"Oh? What if I can't pay the money?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

Kiba, encouraged, his eyes flashing, leaned closer and closer, his warm brown eyes a liquid as I could feel his desire increase. His head levelled with mine and his breath damped my ear with his increased breathing.

"I'm sure we can come to some," Kiba paused, allowing the shudders of anticipation wrack up my body before teasingly licking the shell of my ear. A weaker woman would have her knees buckle but as it was I had to grip the bicep harder as the heat that had slowly building up low in my belly, flared. "Arrangement."

I barely had time to nod as he moved his lips to envelope my ear lobe.

This time my very knees quaked. Sliding an arm behind my back expertly, he supported me against his hard body.

"Arrangements I can do," I replied breathily in his own ear as he lasciviously licked my lobe again, his teeth catching on the sensitive skin. "Should we have an arrangement now?"

Kiba nodded, pressing his chest closer to me, allowing me to feel everything I would be getting that night. I felt dizzy with excitement.

"Let me just tell Kakashi and we can bounce," I spun and downed my drink allowing Kiba's wandering hands to inspire me to rush.

I flushed at the alcohol spurring my heart beat to increase its rate as I all but ran over to Kakashi.

Ducking my head next to his ear, Kakashi almost jumped in surprise at my presence. From my vantage point I saw indeed Kakashi's hand was currently very high on Sakura's thigh and I have to say was closer to her crotch than the actual flesh of her muscle.

"I'm going home with Kiba, don't wait up." I breathed in his ear before I smirked. "Well, if you do wait up I don't think it will be too _hard_."

Kakashi turned his eye to me which gave me such a withering glare but underneath it all was a little worry. "Your wit is astounding." Looking over my shoulder he could see Kiba and he turned his gaze back to me. Observing me he looked all over my face before finally saying, his voice neutral. "Isn't it too soon?"

This was the point when Kiba's patience had run out and had slid his hands under my arms to press against my lower ribs to pull me against his front, his index fingers brushing the underwire of my bra.

"I'll be fine," I shot him a wink. "You just focus on you."

With that, my time bomb had exploded and Kiba groped a breast sending my eye lids fluttering and I soon I was striding towards the door, now dragging Kiba, being the instigator.

Standing out in the humid air, my heated skin reacted and I couldn't help but fan my face as Kiba pushed himself into my space where one hand pushed its way down to the top of my bottom while the other combed its way up my neck to tangle in the tied up strands of my hair.

Finally, he leaned in and captured my mouth in a wet, heated mess.

I could barely hold in my sigh at the dominating press of his body against my weak, supple one.

I tore my mouth away to skim my way down his jaw to begin suckling on his throat as if that would satiate my thirst.

"Which way is your home?" I breathed in his ear as I came up for air before, Kiba used his hold on my hair to pull me back to where I was needed: on his lips.

Grabbing my hand, Kiba tugged me desperately in the opposite direction of mine and Kakashi's flat.

The entire journey was inconsequential other than when we reached a door to an actual house and Kiba pressed me desperately against the wood, the coolness seeping through my thin dress to soothe my burning body.

I tugged on his belt loops, my thumbs digging into his hip bones through the fabric. Kiba supported his weight off me by holding onto the wall behind me as if that was the only way he was keeping up.

We somehow stumbled through the door and quietly fumbled with getting our shoes off at the mat before Kiba was attacking my mouth and I couldn't help the flushed blood that was going to my face and to lower areas.

I finally heard Kiba lose proper control and gave a guttural growl as he hoisted me onto his waist.

In my instinct, I looped my arms over his shoulders to link behind his head, bringing his face close to my heaving cleavage and I did the same with my legs.

We were two odd puzzle pieces like those mutilated animals however, while we weren't so gruesome, we were only looking for relief and the other was the nearest collateral damage. We only just fit together.

Kiba managed to make it up the stairs without killing us but drove me crazy with all the love nips his fangs made with each pass closer and closer to my much abandoned chest area.

Pushing through one of the many doors on the first landing, he shut the door with a gentleness… like there were other people in the house that he didn't want to wake…

But at that time, I didn't care.

Reaching for the hem at my knees I pulled my dress high over my head before letting it flop to the ground allowing Kiba to admire my electric blue thong and lace bra set. With an exaggerated ease, I wandered around his room, as if Kiba was the last thing on my mind. That was always the start.

I could feel his tongue running along his lips as he followed the way my hips swung from side to side.

That was always the second.

Then came the touch.

I didn't know when he moved but one moment I was drawing a finger in the dust, the next my bare shoulder blades were pressing into the unrelenting chest of Kiba while the palm of one hand pressed into my stomach, his finger teasing the elastic on the thong, the little snap making my eye flutter in delight.

Kiba inhaled my scent from my hair and was slowly rocking his impressive erection into the curve of my backside while the other hand finally sampled the land beyond the barrier.

I held my breath in delight as the first finger probed the area around me.

"You are wet," Kiba growled in my ear.

Instead of sending a flush of new heat, it sent an awkward blush to my cheeks. I was never one for dirty talk but however it seemed I wasn't going to get anymore if I didn't reply.

"You know anyone who can help me?" I tried to respond seductively but I think it came out garbled and weird sounding.

Luckily, I think I could've blamed it on the fact I was drunk and was overloaded with desire.

Kiba was more than happy to agree.

…o0o…

As I snuck out in the early dawn, I rubbed the section beneath my eye, trying to remove the sleepy bo boes.

I covered another yawn as I looked at my surroundings. I think Kakashi's is that way, I thought to myself. That tower looks familiar. I sighed, passing under the lampposts, a circle of light before retreating into the dark again, only to be brought back out into the light.

Well, it didn't matter any longer because I saw a recognisable face leaning against a lamp post reading a book in the slight chill in the morning.

Trying to tamp down on my smile, I failed as I walked up to Kakashi.

He gave the appearance that he wasn't aware of my presence and I rolled my eyes, placing my hand on the top of the book, pushing it down so Kakashi could see my face.

"You're going to strain your eyes like that," I reproved warmly. "The light in addition to you holding it so bloody close is going to let your one surviving eye go blind."

Kakashi gave me an eye crinkle before raising a gloved hand to ruffle my hair that I had untied. I rolled my eyes heavenward, not even bothering to protest, knowing he still wouldn't stop it.

"I won't strain them, because I have you to protect them." Kakashi gave me another cheerful smile.

I huffed and walked on past him, turning to the right at the junction and if it wasn't for the strong steering hand I would have gone the wrong way.

"But I wouldn't have you to give me directions. Your sense of direction is appalling." Kakashi said teasingly.

I couldn't help but notice how much happier Kakashi was as we walked, on hand on my back amplifying my surroundings and no matter how much I shook my head, I couldn't remove a background beeping.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked stopping so he could turn me to face him, placing the back of his hand on my forehead. "Did that Kiba give you something?"

I snorted derisively, smacking Kakashi's hand away, unable to ignore the fact the beeping continued a few seconds after the contact ceased.

"Alright _dad_, he didn't slip me anything if that's what you mean," I shook my head.

Kakashi gave one of his laughs that made my lower stomach tighten as I could imagine him as a morning after, me, snuggling into his bare hard chest, one of his many scars pressing into my face reassuringly…

"You never know," Kakashi said lowly. "If he has, he won't be able to get it up after I'm through with him."

I rolled my eyes, taking his elbow to pull us forward again.

"Stop being a worry wart," I said, my bare feet cooling under the pavement slabs. "I should be the one worrying about you."

Kakashi stopped again and I tilted my head towards his flat. "Are you coming?"

Kakashi looked at me with an indiscernible expression. "I'm going away for a while."

"Oh," I dropped my head, scuffing my toe against the ground, ignoring the slight wince from the pain, as a scrape of my skin was being removed by the tarmac. "You have a mission."

I didn't say it as a question and he didn't answer it.

"It won't be long," Kakashi said finally.

It was then that I saw what he was wearing. A skin tight black top with thin metal plates for armour.

I nodded numbly, unable the keep the loneliness that was already eating me up.

A couple of fingers chucked my chin back up. "It won't be long," he reassured me. "A few days at most."

I nodded again and I opened my mouth to say something, but I wavered, biting the flesh of my lower lip.

"Could-could you bring something back for me?" I asked, not looking up from his sandaled feet. He had nice toes. "It- it doesn't have to be anything big but since I can't go, I kind of want to experience the other places in this world without actually leaving and I'm sorry that sounds actually pretty stupid and you can shut me up at any time-"

I cut off my speech with a gasp as Kakashi gave me a crushing hug. My eyes flashed in front of me and the sense of smell increased and I couldn't smell his tea tree and spearmint soap, but I could feel the tiny scratches in the armour but not see on his back.

I-

_Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... _

_The rustling of paper. Where was I? _

_Anyone there? Mum? Dad? Nathaniel?_

_Anyone coming to see pigeon?_

_There was that whirring of a machine in the background. It was expected. Rhythmic as strokes through water, as the turning of a page… as breathing._

_What-_

Kakashi's hands rubbed up and down my back soothingly, one hand reaching to cup the back of my head.

With tentative hands, I tightened my hold on him. I sighed in relief.

"I'll bring you back something every time," Kakahi murmured, rubbing little circles with his finger pads on my scalp. "I'll build up your collection of worldly goods until you are going to wish that you never asked."

I gave a weak laugh, holding him in my tight embrace praying to God that he would come home safe.

"I'll look after your house, I'll make you something good for dinner when you get back," I reassured him. "Maybe if I get bored enough I'll arrange you books in alphabetical order."

Kakashi grumbled his lowly earth shaking laugh. I burrowed just for a little longer.

"Don't die or I'll just raise you from the dead to kill you again," I warned after a couple of moments in the silence before finally loosening my arms so they dropped to my sides again.

Kakashi gave me a sloppy salute. "Yes ma'am."

I rolled my eyes and pushed him away a little. "Go on already, I want to have the free bed."

Kakashi rolled his eyes and ruffled my hair once more before disappearing in a poof of smoke.

And I continued on my walk home. Alone.


	7. Lonely Fix

Lonely Fix

"**Don't die or I'll just raise you from the dead to kill you again," I warned after a couple of moments in the silence before finally loosening my arms so they dropped to my sides again. **

**Kakashi gave me a sloppy salute. "Yes ma'am." **

**I rolled my eyes and pushed him away a little. "Go on already, I want to have the free bed." **

**Kakashi rolled his eyes and ruffled my hair once more before disappearing in a poof of smoke. **

**And I continued on my walk home. Alone.**

…o0o…

Walking into the empty flat, the only sound the jingling of the keys was incredibly lonely. Shutting the door with a muted thump, I walked around, surveying the damage that I didn't really notice only feeling the carnage in the debris' muffled rolls out of the way of my feet.

Seeing it up so close, I saw that my clothes were in a worse shape than I originally thought. I couldn't restrain the flush of heat that followed my rage over Sakura destroying my things.

I inhaled sharply through my nose to try that failsafe, to no avail. How could she do this? To me? What had I done? Nothing, except try to be that infuriating pervert's friend.

I know the way I acted the day before was calm and collected, but come on. Someone destroying everything that I had to try and comfort the homesickness that I felt? Below the belt.

But I couldn't very well make an enemy out of her right then. I had little to no allies when Kakashi wasn't there. Even when he was, he was going out with Sakura.

In fact, everyone here _loved _Sakura, so any negative move I made towards her, would mean I would be signing my own death sentence.

I sighed and noticed the way it breathed from my lips and was brought back to the task in hand. The quiet.

Finding that I would just notice it more if I read my book, I began to clean the war path, thinking I had nothing better to do.

Picking up the fabric debris and putting them in one of the empty plastic bags after collecting all the receipts to give to Sakura to get her to re-buy all my stuff, I placed them by the door. Despite what Kiba said about Sakura paying me back, there was that niggling bit of doubt.

But I believed that Kakashi would be true to his word and get Sakura to buy everything back.

After hunting through all the little doors I finally found the utility cupboard with a hoover and a brush.

Piling already the two big black bin liners by the door, I started to round up the plaster, broken pieces of wood and fragmented shards of glass. Wiping my hand across a sweaty forehead, I saw that the time was now eight o'clock in the morning.

I was bone tired but I couldn't help but feel like I need to finish this before going to my bed. Smacking my mouth to try and wet the dry cavern, I padded numbly to the kitchen to down a glass of water.

I was diverted when I heard frantic knocking at my door. Frowning, wondering who it could be, I opened the door and by the time it swung fully open, I wished that I had pretended that I wasn't in.

Ino stood there huffing and I couldn't help but think that it was a common occurrence that she would stand in my doorway, continually angry with me.

"Where _were_ _you_?" she snarled.

Unconsciously, I moved backwards, as if that would evade her wrath. I stared at her in confusion.

"Was there someplace I was supposed to be?" I asked carefully, making no sudden movements my hands raised. To do what, I don't know. I was about as threatening as a plushie toy.

Ino in all seriousness stomped her foot like a toddler going through a temper tantrum.

"You were _supposed_ to come to my café and _work!_"

Finally, the realisation hit me like a freight train. My mouth turned down apologetically.

"I'm so sorry, I thought it was a one-time only deal," I tried to say.

But Ino wasn't having any of it.

"No, I got the most customers I have ever entered my shop _just_ because of your come worthy crumpets and if you don't move your blue ass out of here _right now_ I'm going to move it for you!"

My eyes widening, I couldn't help but numbly turn into the bedroom, looking as immaculate as it usually did and feel the little hot sense of loss.

I don't know what I was expecting but I thought there would be some sign that Kakashi had lived there, or at least would have had a sign of having a hot steamy night with Sakura (no matter how much I hated the idea especially since I would have to _sleep_ in it) or _anything_ to show me he was alive before he met me that morning.

With a sigh, I changed into new clothes with some doable underwear, rolling some deodorant on, and rubbed my eyes tiredly. Maybe I should have gone to bed instead of trying to clean the flat.

Yawning, I tried to walk into the bathroom to brush my teeth but a hand grabbed my upper arm to drag me out. I dug my heels in causing major carpet burn. I hissed, stumbling after her trying to keep up to futilely escape her.

"Wait a damn minute!" I finally snarled, yanking my arm.

Ino turned to me startled. "Jenny?"

"I haven't slept since probably four this morning, clean up the shit that was not cleaned yesterday because Kakashi and Sakura were probably getting it on like rabbits! I am tired, hungry and not in the mood to deal with your PMS bullshit when all I want is to fucking brush my teeth!" I ended choking on a sob. I rubbed my eyes irritably. Stupid tears. Stupid tiredness. Stupid Sakura for destroying my shit. Stupid _Kakashi_ for not even cleaning up _anything!_

I sighed, rubbing my eyes again, trying to dislodge the water from them.

Tentatively, Ino enclosed me into a hug. "You must be more tired than I thought. I'm sorry that was mean. Do you still want to come with me after being a Grade A bitch?"

I nodded, snuffling into her shoulder. "I don't want to be alone," I whispered quietly. "It wasn't so bad when he was here, but I haven't got him to distract me from-" I cut off, unable to finish anything.

Ino's hand which was rubbing my back increased the friction as if the heat would make me feel better in the already hot and humid country.

"Go brush your teeth. I'll be waiting here, Lightbulb," Ino teased lightly, annoyingly different from her usual obnoxious self.

I nodded dully, rotating mechanically to walk to the bathroom where I lazily brushed my teeth until I could feel the plaque removed.

I looked up to the mirror, not really expecting much from the reflective glass but I wasn't expecting to see an already haggard look where I had puffy bags under my eyes, the ethereal blue glow of my eyes exposing how red the whites were. I saw little raised bumps from Kiba's sharp love bites, shown by the low cut top on my chest. I frowned but shaking my head, I caught my brush to comb through the worse of the knots before sloppily tying my hair up into two ponytails again.

I couldn't tell you what happened on the way to the cosplay café, because I couldn't remember.

There was rustling, a tinkling then finally the shutting. Steps, more steps, then another rustling, hands filled with frills, my legs stepping automatically into the clothes. I moved my breasts so they rested better, pulled the tights so they pulled at the right stage of opaque and see through, my feet slid into a pair of not so suitable heels which I think I said.

Uncaring, I followed the blonde down steps, more steps until I was in the cold kitchen. Walking to the multiple ovens, I switched them to their different temperatures before walking to various cupboards, spoons, knives, forks, bowls, and even larger bowls, sieves, baking powder…

I didn't even know anymore.

The morning passed in a blind blur broken only by five minutes of clarity from the multiple, detested cups of coffee. Tasted shit, but it got me to where I was.

I was so out of it I didn't hear someone calling my name until someone shoved my shoulder.

"Kami Lightbulb," Ino, back to normal after my break down that morning, yelled in my ear. "It's a wonder you have lasted so long!"

I gave her a withering stare but turned back to pushing my arm into beating the batter.

"Back to my original point, I thought maybe if I would make it easier for you if you had help?" She gestured to someone over in the door way.

Dread pooled in my stomach and without looking I knew who it was going to be.

Meeting the gaze of an equally awkward Kiba, I plastered a smile on my face.

"Seems great," I said, my cheeks hurting from their strain before I turned back to making a smoother mixture.

I felt rather than saw Kiba move into his position the previous day. We stayed silent.

Kiba was making the citrus-y cake again and I turned for the flour just the same time as Kiba, resulting in our hands brushing. I flushed, barely controlling my hand from snatching away from human contact, instead I gave a small, forced laugh.

"Bagsie!" I caught the bag of flour and the sieve preparing to place it in my bowl.

I saw Kiba rolling his eyes but when his gaze met mine we both stopped. Not suddenly, more like the waning of a cycle, where we had realised the tension was too hard to ignore.

"So…" Kiba began awkwardly, dropping his spoon in the bowl and began rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

I paused my sieving, tipping my head towards him to show I was listening. He was quiet for a moment and I looked up to see Kiba flicking a thread on one of the tatty tea towels.

"I think you are a great girl-" Kiba began and I couldn't help the snigger of laughter come out.

His head snapped up at that. Horrified, I covered my mouth with wide eyes.

"Sorry," I tried, "just if you are doing 'we-should-be-friends' talk then I don't think it is needed." I gave a rueful grin. "We were friends of two hours, you got me drunk in five, and we went home and had sex. No biggie."

Kiba's eyes were about join the little flour particles on the floor when they popped out and rolled.

"So what you are saying," Kiba said carefully, his eyes unwavering, "is that, you are _happy_ with a one night stand and going back to being friends?"

I nodded cheerfully, turning back to my batter.

"I don't see why we should make things awkward considering we don't know much about each other. You love Hinata, I don't love you. This was a win-win situation." I lifted my shoulders and dropped them emphatically.

Kiba slowly nodded, a smile deliberately coming to play on his face. I beamed back.

"Okay, friends," Kiba said, relief evident in his tone.

I rolled my eyes again, nudging my nose with a knuckle, a residue effect for the whole lot of awkward that could have been if he had suddenly changed his mind about Hinata (highly unlikely).

We continued throughout the day just baking in comfortable silence, leaving the witty comments in their unused corner.

The fix I had the night before was wearing off and when Kiba ever left the room I couldn't help but think about how little I knew about this place and my eyes would reflexively start filling with water. _I just want to go home._

Sadly, I began to shape my cookies again on the baking tray.

I was so focused on my task that I never realised that crystalline drops were tracing the apple of my cheeks until a pale hand belonging to Ino brushed my face.

"Hey! What are you whinging about?" she demanded, her hands fisting on the frills of her French Maid outfit.

I hurriedly wiped my face, searching the room for a reason I could blame it on.

"Uh, I uh…" I trailed off before allowing my shoulders to slump again this time shuddering with the unexpected sobs that shook through my entire being.

In all honesty, I missed my family, my flat, my job.

I missed the busy city life of London, where you would get glares from the busy, smiles from the easy. Where the scent of coffee and pollution permeated my very skin, leaving me smiling at the grumpy.

I missed the way my flat curved predictably in its shapes, where it was cramped but home-y, where it would feel filled when other humans were around.

But more importantly, I missed my mother, father and brother.

The way my mum would irritably push her bobbed hair behind her ear with a wrist, white with flour. The way her smile gave her little dimples in her cheeks and how I swore lines grew when she heard of mine and Nathaniel's new misdeeds.

The scent of her perfume, a flowery mainstream one that smelled wrong compared to her homemade soap of strawberry and mint. How I could see her powder flashing slightly on her skin.

Her home roasts, best hugs, the illness shroud…

A hot flush covered my body as a depression settled over my shoulders. Cancer.

Then it came to dad. A farmer by nature and occupation, a man of conservative values, a man ruled by coupons and tradition. A man of red, jovial cheeks and cringey jokes, a dad to make everything better when all was wrong.

He came in everyday at six, no later. He smelled of the farm, of silage, cake and cows. But clean, he always smelled of the sharp scent of soap and grass still.

His jolly laugh, his work ethic and his unwavering certainty. I missed it all.

"Shit Lightbulb, what is it?!" Ino enveloped me in a hug, wrapping her arms around my waist, crushing me and reassuring me of another's presence.

Finding the acceptance I needed, I buried my face in her neck allowing the animalistic wails come through.

"I just miss them so much," I managed to snuffle out.

"Who? Kakashi?" Ino asked, confused.

I wagged my head vehemently. "No, my family. I should have my family!" I shouted, pushing her back, scrubbing my face back. "I don't belong here and I just want them back!"

My face reddened at my outburst and I carefully wiped my finger under my nose for any left overs from my sob fest. Plastering a smile on my face, I bared it at both Kiba and Ino who were looking at me in concern.

"Sorry," I muttered, turning to wash my hands in the sink for any bacteria I might have acquired. "I don't know what came over me."

Ino looked down at her watch. "Should be closing time soon, why don't you head on home and we'll meet at the pub we went to last night-You remember where it is right?-and get pissed drunk so you won't miss them as much, yeah?"

I nodded numbly, about to leave through the side door, Ino called me back.

"Why are you going through that way? You are working for me now, you keep the uniform." My mouth opened and closed in stunned silence before I couldn't find the fight in me so I walked back through the café where the men continued to salivate.

"I'll meet you there Lightbulb in like an hour and a half!" Ino yelled after me.

I waved my hand to show I heard her as I walked out of the door into the busy street filled with families and familiar conversation.

While again I walked home alone, to an empty house, absent of the one I needed most.

…o0o…

_Where was she?_ I thought to myself, nursing a water at the bar, not wanting to get drunk on my own. I even made sure to leave late so that she would definitely be there!

With a sigh, I smacked my palm to my forehead before I thought, _Fuck it_.

Calling over the father like bar tender, I finally bought myself an alcohol beverage. A strong one.

Drinking the majority within the first half in five minutes, I couldn't help but think I was like every cliché given. Drinking alone to fuel my loneliness.

Internally I shrugged.

Maybe this cloud had a silver lining where I could get drunk, have a one night stand with a random stranger and maybe going home, with that hot bulge in my throat absent along with my loneliness.

I nodded, resolving myself.

I was perched on the seat in direct line of the door so I could see if Ino suddenly come through the door, when one of Kakashi's friends walked through instead.

Lowering my gaze to the liquid of spirit, I hoped he hadn't seen me, I couldn't even remember his name! The one with the scar across the nose! Shit! Why do they all have hard names? What was it?! Asai? No, that's completely wrong. Oh god, oh god, why, oh why did I not pay attention?!

I was broken from my frantic thoughts with the stool next to me being brought out with a scrape. I looked up hoping that it was Ino but felt my heart deflate in my chest when I saw it was him.

I gave a sheepish smile. "Hi."

"I don't know if you remember me from the other night?" The man gave me a loose salute. "But I'm Iruka and I'm searching for another lonely drinker for a partner. You mind me joining?"

I held back the snarky comment on him already joining me but instead I fell into the role of attracting.

I smiled languidly, leaning back, crossing my legs slowly, tossing one of my ponytails over my shoulder.

"Thank go-" I cut off saying god again, without an eye roll. "Thank you, I thought I would be like every cliché out there."

He gave a chuckle, picking out something from under his nails which looked like blood. The alcohol turned sourly in my stomach before I took a fortifying gulp of the bitter drink.

"Well, it is my part time job outside of being ninja of helping the innocents," Iruka joked and if I wasn't mistaken, I think I saw him flex his biceps.

He didn't need to do this. He could take me home already. Instead, I nodded, pretending that I didn't notice how when my shoulder dropped, it allowed my spaghetti strap of a black swing dress to fall slightly, exposing my equally black bra to an extent.

Iruka was smooth. I'll give him that.

It was only a flash, but I saw the way his eyes caught onto the fabric before he tugged it back to meet my innocent gaze. Iruka mimicked me from earlier, taking a particularly large gulp of his frothing drink.

"So what is it you do?" Iruka asked, leaning an elbow on the bar top next to him, placing a tired head on a fist.

While he didn't say it, I knew that his curiosity was killing him as now my arms were exposed to his stare, he was wondering what job could allow my skin be damaged so.

I saw no judgement luckily or I think I would have cried then and there.

I smiled, giving a little sip. "I work at Ino's cosplay café."

Iruka's eyes widened in surprise. "Not exactly what I was expecting, although isn't that a French Maid cosplay?" he asked, scanning my body, mentally classifying me in the costume, his eyes alighting in a pleasured stare.

I nodded, twirling my hair around my finger. "I'm their baker. Although waking as early as I have to, _kills_ me."

He nodded in understanding. "When a particularly long mission comes up, the only thing that could make it worse would be if it was raining _and_ early."

I giggled and took a more measured sip of my drink. "It didn't help that I didn't sleep much the night before," I said slyly, cutting him a sideways look to see if he saw unspoken activities.

Oh he understood, from the look of his heated stare on the couple of love bites in his line of vision.

I broke the intense tension looking to his fingers where they were tapping out a nervous beat.

"You need a smoke?" I asked, giving a little point with my knuckle towards the tick.

Iruka startled, jumped in his seat, his elbow sliding off the polished surface of the bar top.

I laughed, patting my hand against his shoulder reassuringly, my hand lingering obviously.

Iruka mock glared at me before bringing out from his pouch a packet of cigarettes. I wrinkled my nose. _Ugh, straights._

"You caught me," he said guiltily.

I waved it away. "Everyone deserves a smoke every now and then. Should we take our drinks out to the garden?"

He nodded and I, with a slight wobble showing the slight intoxication which was hitting me then, followed.

Lounging in the beer garden, I couldn't help but breathe in the sweet, smoky humid air.

"You want one? I need to lose some so I have less temptation," Iruka offered bashfully.

With a smile and nod, I placed the stick in my mouth and waited for him to light me up.

Inhaling the smoke with a sigh and closing my eyes, my head lolled back. "I missed this," I moaned.

"You quit?" I felt rather than saw Iruka settle next to me on the bench.

I nodded, not looking at him as I took another drag. "I was nine months clean, you bad influence," I teased, emphatically turning my head to face him and taking another smoke from my cigarette triggering the end to glow a red.

Iruka rolled his eyes but I saw him shift a little closer, his dark eyes eating my reflection.

"I can do a lot more than smoking, if you feel like wanting to have a little bit more bad influence in you system," Iruka offered lowly, his hand placed boldly on my knee.

I arched a perfectly tweezered brow, giving a deliberate smoke of my straight. "I don't know what you mean," I said sultrily, placing my hand on top of his, allowing it to pull up my leg. "Maybe I need a demonstration?"

Iruka licked his lips. "Maybe even a preliminary. Just to make sure," he dead panned, his face leaning closer and closer, his own cigarette forgotten in his hand as he stubs it out unintentionally in the ash tray by our elbows.

"Preliminary sounds good," I breathed, before allowing my head to tip towards his our lips a hair's breadth away before I closed my mouth over his lower lip.

I listened to his guttural growl before his forearm crossed across my back, pressuring me into his chest. I inhaled sharply, combing my hand through his scruffy hair, playing with his stubby ponytail, fluttering my fingers through it.

The palm against the small of my back pressed a heat which I couldn't help but arch into his chest causing his mouth to seek my neck and shoulder. I inhaled again, just staring at the dusk light, few clouds making the journey across the dome. Looking to the side I saw many eyes avoiding and staring at us.

I flushed before smacking the back of Iruka's head. He gave a heady moan before I hit it again more frantically.

"You like to play it that way huh?" Iruka growled into my ear.

I smacked my forehead with my palm. "No you idiot," I hissed, crawling off his lap despite his protests. "I'm just not exactly a voyeur!"

He finally realised our situation before turning to give me a sultry smirk. "Let them watch, they can get an education. I _am_ a teacher."

Before I could argue back, his arms swept me off my feet. I squealed, reaching to cover my bum with the fabric of my dress.

"What are you doing?" I said furiously under my breath.

"I'm taking us somewhere more… private," Iruka said, raising his eyebrows. "Unless you _want_ me to do you here?"

I shook my head desperately but ducked my head when we left the pub. Ino still hadn't shown up.

Did I wait for her? I looked to the watch at my wrist and my eyes widened. She was four fucking hours late! _Fuck that!_ Was the last thought that crossed my mind as Iruka continued to carry me away from the alcohol establishment.

I tucked my head under his chin as he walked quickly for at least ten minutes before impatience overcame me and I finally asked where we were going.

"My place," he offered me shortly.

"At least put me down; I'm too heavy," I wriggled to try and prompt him into letting my feet touch the floor.

Iruka's hand tightened on my arse and I couldn't help but gasp in both shock and because of that little dart of energy leading to my groin. "Please tell me we are going to be there soon," I almost moaned.

Iruka's footsteps sped up.

Finally reaching a block of almost-fancy apartments, Iruka bundled me through one of the nearest doors, his hands already frenzied in their exploration of my body, immediately zoning in on my breasts, giving them an experimental squeeze. I gasped, allowing my head to list backwards, already feeling my limbs jellify.

"Like that do you?" Iruka asked, his mouth closing in on mine and despite low intoxication, I couldn't believe I was doing this half sober.

His hot mouth enclosed mine before his hand brushed down my side stroking and pressing his hand into my waist before his fingers pushed against my skin, demanding me to touch him back.

I was happy to oblige.

Cupping him through his trousers, Iruka's head fell to my shoulder with a low groan.

Encouraged, I gave a particularly large rub. Iruka groaned again, sending vibrations to kick start another flush of heat betwixt my legs. I grinded against the back of my hand to push against him, undulating my hips, trying to create the friction I so needed from him.

Hooking a hand around my knee, Iruka hitched it over his hip, pivoting on one foot, his remaining foot knocked the crook of my other knee causing me to fall to the ground with a surprised squeak. Iruka gave me a wolfish grin before leaning to tug at the spaghetti strap that was already loosely clinging to my body, pulling it down to expose the bra. Looking up at me with those eyes of his, I couldn't help the flush of lust just from being the focus of another human being for so long.

Iruka, keeping his brown eyes on my blue ones he slowly crept down my body, giving the nips here and there forcing me to arch up from the pleasure racing through my body, before his head tucked finally between my legs.

I held my breath.

Not taking off my equally lacy underwear, Iruka barely nudged the wet area before I was panting again, pressing his tongue lightly against me, right _there_. I tangled my fingers in his hair to force him to stay where he was.

Then he gave a long lick and I couldn't help but let my head laze back, my fingers tracing his ears as I let him begin to take me.

His fingers hooked into the elastic of my knickers before they slowly inched down my legs to my ankles where they were painstakingly palmed off, finger pads trailing against the skin of my ankle.

Placing his face back against my sensitive area, feeling his hot breath caused me to squirm pleasantly, until Iruka's hands out of nowhere pressed down on my hips, dominating me. I gave out a heady moan just as he sucked my clit causing a roar to begin in my ears.

While in the heady aroma of the oral that I was getting and the one that I was going to give I was unable to stop myself from numbly thinking:

_How far was I going to sink this time?_

…o0o…

_Martin tiredly walked to his bathroom, Saskia had already left for her nightshift with a cheerful kiss to the cheek. She thought he couldn't see it but he knew she was excited to go to work. _

_And not for the love of her job. _

_No she always had a soft spot for her boss. You know the type. Black haired, angsty, face like a smacked arse. If he wasn't so well qualified and didn't wear designer suits outside of work, Martin would have thought he was the gay struggling artist type. _

_He snorted to himself rubbing a weary hand over his face, sniffing the air where he had eaten the lonely pot of macaroni cheese. _

_Opening the medicine cabinet, Martin perused the drugs layered neatly on their different shelves. Spying the white packet with the prescription label smacked on the side. Reading the already well known instructions, sliding the film out of its case, Martin popped two out of their respective beds by their already empty neighbours. _

_Martin hesitated looking up into the mirror, the little white capsules lying there innocently in his worn palm, forgotten. _

_He was only taking them because of the dreams. The doctors knew he wasn't telling the truth when it came to it. Well how was he supposed to know that people didn't dream about eating cereal? He hadn't had normal dreams in ages! _

_Martin shook his head at the ludicrous thought. _I am a complete and utter moron_. He thought to himself. _

_But did he _really_ not want the dreams about Naruto? _

_Sure they were weird when he first got them but slowly he was being drawn in by the blue haired civilian. Who was she? Martin certainly couldn't remember if she was in the manga. Martin gave another sigh. He would probably have to bring out his old collection again. Saskia was going to be so pissed. But he didn't know what to do. _

_It was odd. Every time he touched blue haired Jenny, it was like he was sucked of energy. Every time he touched her, it was like her whole body flared with a light. _

_Every time he touched her, he didn't want to wake up._

_Shaking his head, Martin returned to the matter at hand; the sleeping pills. He'd been taking the prescribed nine day round and after this last pill he wasn't allowed to be on them for at least a couple of weeks. _

_Resigning himself, he raised his hand to pop them in his mouth but hesitated. Was it _really_ so bad to dream about Naruto? It was Saskia's idea to take them especially since she heard him murmur Sakura's name in his sleep. That was a narrow miss to say the least. _

_Did he want to have the action packed dreams where he was needed? Wanted? _

_The answer is clear as he tipped his hand and closed his mouth while taking a swallow of water, Martin swished it around his mouth before spitting to send the pills down the drain. _

_He wasn't ready to let go of Jenny yet._

…o0o…

_A few days my arse_, I snarled to myself irritably. _That lying prick._

Whenever I think of a few days, I think of four to five days at _the most_. Kakashi had been gone _eight_. I had to deal with sorting out the café which slowly was increasing in its customers, people were beginning to hear of my baking prowess. While it was irritating, working from five in the morning and then leaving at six, it kept me blissfully busy.

It was irritating when some people took dates to the café (poor move on the guys part) because I was slowly reminded that I had no one to even hold. But I wouldn't go to seek Iruka or Kiba again. I don't do seconds.

Not that Iruka hasn't tried. While he got brownie points for you know, doing _that_, his actual bed skills had left much to be desired. So a couple of days after our preliminary, Iruka sought me out again.

I shook my head, focussing more on baking than anything else. I had gone out a couple of times drinking but my latest bed mate meant that I wasn't going to look for more. Not that I wasn't itching for it, but I decided to resolve myself to waiting until Kakashi was back.

The lampposts that I had to walk past seemed particularly lonely without the silver haired man to lean against, haloed by the yellow light. While it was a silly notion since he only did it once and that was to tell me he was leaving, I couldn't shake the motion that every time that I didn't come home he would do it to make sure he knew where I was.

Home I called it. I frowned. I suppose I couldn't call it anything other than that. As far as theses past 'few days' have gone, I was no closer to figuring out _how_ to get back to my parents and brother. Undoubtedly, I hadn't put my full effort into it considering that I have been working my arse off in Ino's stupid café, getting reasonably drunk every night to ignore the loneliness of the bed and have a way of dealing with my arms.

Admittedly, not being hung over every single morning was a win on so many levels, that even Ino looked at me disbelievingly when I suggested going out that night too.

In response I had a slammed door in my face.

I huffed again, batting my long ponytail out of my eyes, preparing to go home. This was going to be a long night ahead.

Resigning myself to another sleepless night, I turned to put the sticky, batter covered bowl in the sink, the was a slight tingle of the bell by the door, rolling my eyes I started with all the pans leaving the bowl last so I could lick the raw batter. I felt prickles go up my spine in anticipation just thinking about licking the sugary sweetness.

I came to the doorway to see Ino and some ninja talking in excited voices.

"What is it?" I asked suspiciously when they went suddenly quiet at my approach.

They both shared a look before Ino turned to me, careful and deliberate she looked at her fingernails.

"Oh, you know, my friend just told me of another shinobi coming back," Ino tapped her lip thoughtfully, her brow furrowed. "Who was it again Haruo?"

The man looked uncomfortably between my stony expression and Ino's fierce one, not sure which to be more afraid of.

He settled for Ino.

"Hatake Kakashi," he said finally, clearing his throat.

Everything went tunnel vision and I dumbly looked at Ino for confirmation who just nodded her smile barely hidden anymore. Slowly and unconsciously I palmed off the heels which were part of the uniform if I was walking around in the main side of the café and I put them in the blonde's arms much to her protests and continued on out of the door.

I walked through the street to the market.

I jogged through the disablement of said market, each stall lit up by the sunset.

And I sprinted the rest of the way to the gate with some measured direction from various inhabitants of Konoha.

Finally, out of breath I saw him. I saw him reading his blasted porn that I swore one day I would read too and I saw him slowly look up, a cut on his cheek bone, his arm guards dented and scratched, his armour looking a little worse for wear and I couldn't help but beam despite my earlier grievances against him.

Racing up, I barely yelled "drop the backpack!" and Kakashi fumbled to reply before I collided with him in a massive hug, my legs perching on his hips.

While I had no doubt that he could hold me up I don't think either of us took into account the force in which I was travelling so with the trajectory, I sent the pervert into lying flat on his back with a 'humph!'

I giggled before burrowing my face in his neck again.

"You deserve that you prick!" I said darkly into his ear.

I felt Kakashi's surprise with the stiffening of his shoulders and his arms that were still resting on my back. "What could this old man do, to be greeted so harshly after such a trying mission?"

I also heard his pout. I scowled.

"Since he said that he would be back in a few days but no, I forgot to take into account his perpetual need to be late!" I continued to talk into his shoulder, where I felt some of his armour digging into my face. "And you're not old!"

"Sorry there was a black cat in my path, so I decided to take the long way around," Kakashi said into my ear.

I pushed myself back to look down at him disbelievingly, seeing the eye crinkle I smacked him hard on his arm. "You bastard! I was worried sick!"

I threw my arms around him again, the relief was more than the feeling of anger so with some grudging reluctance I allowed myself to accept the sensation of his alive beating and pumping body. Hesitantly, I lowered my voice so if anyone was eavesdropping, they wouldn't hear me. "Don't leave for so long next time."

I felt Kakashi soften his hard demeanour towards me by relaxing into my embrace, in fact tightening his hold on my body imperceptibly. I beamed into his shoulder, hiding my delight from everyone, accepting this joy for me and only me.

"Not so long next time, firefly. I promise," Kakashi murmured into my ear, causing a shiver of excitement to trail down my spine.

Dismayed at the treacherous feeling, I jumped to my feet standing over Kakashi, holding my hand out to him, plastering a fake smile on my face to hide my alarm.

"Well I need to go back to work to change and I think I have a bowl full of cookie batter with just your name on it," I tried to pass off cheerfully, I feared it came off flat.

Kakashi narrowed his eye at me, but widened when he _looked_ at me. However he just shrugged and picked himself off the floor, brushing the dusty dirt off his backside before turning to pick up his back pack, avoiding eye contact with me. I gazed at him curiously, brushing my blue hair back out of my face, studying him.

I rubbed my nose furiously with my knuckle, trying to figure out his turn-a-bout attitude. Twirling a blue ponytail around my fingers worriedly, my eyes looking anywhere but at the man in question, I continued to walk beside the silent man, trying to contain my nervousness at this aloof Kakashi, almost ruining my elation at having him back.

"I didn't know you were into cosplay," Kakashi said, clearing his throat, rubbing the back of his head.

Startled I looked up, to see Kakashi not _not_ looking at me, more like he was more fascinated with the pathway beneath our feet.

"Huh?" I looked down to which I saw my French maid uniform, with its short hemline both on the torso and the thighs where my garter straps were on display. I blushed, pushing a non-existent wayward blue strand from my face, tugging for once at the shortened skirt.

"Oh, this? This is just for Ino. Apparently it is mandatory to wear it despite no one sees me in it. Not-not that I don't want to wear it!" I rushed to say, waving my hands in front of me like a crazy person. "Well, of course I don't mind it because it's cosplay, but I mean that I don't like that it's not appreciated, but not in like a slutty way where I have guys salivating over it but it would be _nice_ to have _some_ appreciation! Is this making sense? Because if not you can shut me up at any time-"

Kakashi finally having enough, bopped my head (hard if I might add) with his book promoting me to yelp, clasping my hands protectively over my scalp.

"Yow!" I cried out, rubbing the sore spot. "What was that for?"

"It is one of my special remedies for the people who begin to annoy me," Kakashi said casually, flipping another page of his book his angular jaw never once straying to look at me.

My own jaw dropped open, a little hurt coming through. _He found me annoying?_

Swallowing past the little pain in my chest, I mock scowled before picking up the pace, the frills swaying rapidly around my thighs.

"Well, I suppose I won't give you that bowl full of sweet, chocolate infested batter, with a creamy-" I was continuing on the track to make Kakashi jealous when said, ungrateful swine, stopped me with a hand on my elbow. I looked up at him mock haughtily, "can I help you?" I sniffed.

Kakashi rolled his eye before bringing me in for a head rub. Scowling, I couldn't reprimand my body for leaning into his touch which Kakashi had obviously felt as his chuckle spoke volumes.

Taking my body away, I scowled for real this time, turning away from him to angrily stride away.

"Oh come on firefly! It was adorable!" Kakashi tried to smother his laughter behind me but I still heard it.

I flipped him my middle finger never once looking backwards.

"Firefly!" Kakashi called after me humorously, "where are you going?"

"Back to the shop!" I yelled back, my angry strides didn't slow.

"Maybe you want to try taking the correct way? Like maybe the one that takes you straight there?" Kakashi called back, his tone smug. I halted and looked at my surroundings and to my dismay I saw that I had, indeed, walked the wrong way.

Flushing furiously, I pivoted on my heel and stalked my way back to Kakashi who hadn't moved from his position by the junction the road and then had the gall to raise a fingerless gloved hand to lick the pad of his index to peel across another page.

"Not. A. Word." I growled storming past him to head back to the shop, stalking through the rapidly depleting market place, back to the café where Kakashi continued to walk with his backpack on his back, a glaring sign that he had just been on a mission.

Stomping back into the café with a slam of the door, much to the surprise of the patrons who turned to look at me curiously as I headed back towards the kitchen, my stocking clad feet ran ladders up and down my calves some heading as far as my thighs.

With a huff of annoyance, I unclipped the elastic material around my stomach through the thin material of the dress pushing the stockings and the garter belt to the floor in one practiced movement.

I heard a 'fwump' as Kakashi dumped his bag in the corner of the room, his eyebrow almost contemptuously raised as he saw the snakey remains of the stockings. I raised my eyebrows too, lifting my arms to the side. "What?"

Kakashi just shook his head. "Just wondering how long you are going to hold this grudge for," Kakashi elevated his eyebrow even further emphatically.

Just like that, he made me feel like a child and the fight slumped out of my shoulders. "Sorry," I muttered, toeing my bare toe in the wooden slats.

I was looking at my big toe and saw the bloodied nail polish chipping, _I'll probably have to repaint it soon,_ I thought to myself, twisting it to examine the shiny scale in a different light. If I hadn't been looking at my feet, I wouldn't have seen Kakashi's slowly step towards me. I paused everything, my limbs, my eyes, my heart. Tentatively I peeked up to see Kakashi's unreadable eye.

There was a tense moment of uncomfortable silence.

"So where is this bowl of raw cookie dough that you have been raving on about?" he said finally.

Relief restarted my heart and I happily skipped to the tempting bowl that I had placed on the side where I had planned to wash it. I heard a god awful scrape and clatter as the metal backed stool which was usually was abandoned in the corner until it was needed for the blasted bowl on the top of the cupboard, being moved until I heard the settling of a weight.

I turned to find Kakashi already situated at the table, his hands folded on his stomach, tipping on the back legs of the chair, a look of amusement on his face.

Then there was an almighty growl.

We both froze, listening. It came again. We comically looked at each other then at Kakashi's belly where the hungry beast lay. Quick as a mongoose, I snatched the bowl away, leaning to pick bread out of the bread bin.

"Jenny," Kakashi whined, "what are you doing? I was going to eat that."

I huffed, shaking my head. "You probably haven't eaten anything nice for the entirety that you have been away, I am sure you don't even know what a vegetable is anymore."

Kakashi wrinkled his nose at me. "There's a reason I avoid vegetables Jenny, a very important reason."

Turning my body slightly to face him, I lifted my eyebrows in question, still slicing the soft white bread. "Oh yeah? Please, enlighten me."

Kakashi held up two fingers, "Two words: Red. Meat." His fingers curled into his palm respectively.

Snorting, I began to make chutney. "Fine, I'll make something for dinner completely riddled with beef that you are going to regret ever asking me. But for now," I diced some tomatoes and onions, "you are having a sandwich to keep you going and then, and _only then_ will you get to lick the bowl."

Kakashi grumbled something about 'troublesome women' before turning to pick up the rarely put down Icha Icha and began reading again.

We worked in silence. Me, slicing the cheese, smearing the butter and homemade tomato chutney, crushing the lettuce before placing two large slices of white bread together; Kakashi, absently turning pages of his weather worn romance novel.

Finally, placing the sandwich in front of Kakashi, I waited.

Kakashi slowly looked up at me then down at the sandwich and then back at me. Carefully, he pulled the plate towards him, simultaneously placing his orange book by his elbow, he lifted a slice of the bread, inspecting the insides.

There was a moment of silence.

Kakashi bent down to look under the table. I frowned.

"What are you doing?" I asked, a little bit of the annoyance at the check for the food in the sandwich.

"Looking,"

"For what?" I threw my hands in the air in exasperation.

"The meat. It has mysteriously disappeared from my sandwich," Kakashi drawled actually going so far as to go on his hands and knees, looking along the dusty floor.

"Just eat it!" I said, a little bit of hurt layered my voice and that was enough to pull a serious Kakashi out from under the table and dusted his hands on his basically non-existent fabric of his top before daintily picking up the sandwich and paused, his eye staring at me with the unfathomable depth.

Jumping as I realised that he wanted me to turn around, I quickly rushed to the sink to begin to clean the equipment until I heard a low groan that sent tingles to pool around my lower region in happiness. Slowly, so as not to startle him, I turned to see Kakashi with an empty plate, save a few crumbs and a languid Kakashi, just lolling his head back between his shoulder blades, smacking his lips behind that insufferable mask.

"Well? Was it okay?" I asked, wringing my hands in the little apron provided, as the sleeves on the uniform weren't long enough to pull over my wrists.

"Okay?" Kakashi leant further back in his chair, his eye going to the ceiling contemplating my question. "That book I lent you was 'okay'; that sandwich was better than 'okay' kami, I think I want to regurgitate it, just to eat it again."

I gave out a breathy laugh in relief before continuing to wash everything in the bed of soap and water.

"You can start on the bowl now then," I nudged it with my elbow and it rocked dangerously and before I could yank my hands out of their prison of slippery soap, the glass bowl wobbled off the side. I clenched my eyes shut away from the inevitable crack.

It didn't come.

Inching one of my blue eyes open I saw there was Kakashi crouched on the floor, one hand suspended in front of him, his hand the only thing keeping the bowl above the floor. I gave a wheezy sigh of relief as I slumped against the side, holding a wet hand to my chest, as if that would calm my beating heart.

Kakashi pushed himself up calmly from his crouch, twisting on his heel, Kakashi walked back to the table and I saw a glimpse of a dark silvery stubble growing on that jawline before I turned away in courtesy of my friend.

Friend…

Yeah, friend.


	8. Just A Little Bit On Your Mind

Just a Little Bit on Your Mind – Sam Hart

**Kakashi pushed himself up calmly from his crouch, twisting on his heel, Kakashi walked back to the table and I saw a glimpse of a dark silvery stubble growing on that jawline before I turned away in courtesy of my friend. **

**Friend…**

**Yeah, friend. **

…o0o…

Changing out of the frilly uniform was a relief for once because I just wanted to make up time lost with Kakashi. I quickly, swept the floor, in my haste I probably left more than a few flour particles but I threw the broom into the closet uncaring. I could always make it up the next day.

When I gave my uniform back to Ino to put away, she saw the disgrace that were the stockings and other than the inaudible grumble "I'll take that out of your pay check" she let us go.

I almost said that I didn't get a pay check for the amount she paid me, but I thought that sounded a bit bitter so I kept my mouth closed and I continued walking with Kakashi to the super market. I bought a large steak for his homecoming and some lamb where the ever the frugal Kakashi widened his eyes at the price.

"It doesn't have to be _that_ much," Kakashi reminded me lowly for the third time as he followed me to the fruit and vegetable aisle.

I huffed, my eyes zoning on the purple plums and my hands greedily grabbed at the scooper for collecting the spherical delights. I heard a disbelieving snort.

"You really like plums," Kakashi commented dryly, as he saw me grabbing a second large bag to put in the cart.

Shooting him a look that told him plainly, I wasn't taking his attitude, we continued to the check out where we paid for the extortionate price. I think it was possibly the plums.

But I shrugged happily at the receipt, it was my own money anyway.

"Seriously, you didn't have to buy me steak, I am happy with the shitty meat," Kakashi commented insistently.

I rolled my eyes in exasperation, swinging my plastic bag into Kakashi's side playfully. "If you say that one more time, I won't make anything for you ever again," when I saw Kakashi's horrified face I couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled out of my system, I threw my head back and laughed. "Anyway it's fine, I like cooking for people," I smiled and turned back to the path. "If I could, I would do it professionally."

"You _do_ do it professionally," he said with a blatant smirk.

I shot him a glare before turning back to the path. "That doesn't count; I don't get paid _nearly_ enough."

He looked at me curiously. "So why don't you do it professionally then?"

I looked up at his face to see the perplexing dilemma covering the quarter of his face that was on show, like a child who had been told that his parents didn't know why the sky is blue. I laughed lightly again.

"Well, I wouldn't earn anything," I said simply, giving a little skip, to expend some of the energy that I had left over from the excitement of seeing Kakashi.

His dark grey brow furrowed. "What do you mean? You still would earn money, it's a job isn't it?" he argued, quickening his step to stay in line with me.

I stared up at him, almost horrified, stopping in the middle of the empty path. "I would _never_ do it for money!"

"Why not? You do it now," his eye seemed to be unrelenting in his desire to know the ins and outs of why I was so averse to having people pay for my food.

"That's just baking though," I fought back.

Kakashi rolled his hand as if prompting me to continue to explain. I mimicked his hand with my eyes as they turned heavenward, throwing my hands up in exasperation.

"Because I _enjoy_ cooking. I would cook just for the joy of seeing someone eating it. It's like," I paused, trying to phrase this need to cook without return. "When you invite friends around, you don't get them to pay for the food you make for them right? It's like it feels wrong that I get money for something that I love and then they only get that love for an hour while digesting everything. It doesn't seem right." I peered up into his face, "Do you understand?"

Kakashi stared at me for a moment before nodding. "You feel guilty that you get to do what you like while everyone has to pay for the happiness of your food?"

I wavered my hand in between us. "Meh, close enough."

We started walking again, albeit in a more contemplative silence.

"I would end up hating it any way," I said after I could see our flat building coming up.

Kakashi nodded solemnly, his manner suddenly became a little colder as he rubbed his jaw contemplatively.

"So what books have you read in my absence?" Kakashi changed the subject hastily.

His very demeanour seemed to begin to affect the air surrounding us.

I chuckled, swaying the white plastic bag absently, eager to get the light hearted mood between us again.

"Well, I haven't really had much time but I have read one book," I slid a sly look to Kakashi although it was the side where his eye protector was covering his Sharigan so I couldn't see his expression. "But it was pretty shit."

That made him turn around to me faster than I could say 'ninja'.

"None of my books are shit, firefly," Kakashi said haughtily, bringing himself to stand straighter. "It was obviously you weren't reading it right."

I tried to hide my amusement but couldn't help but snicker which made Kakashi's eye narrow.

"You were teasing," Kakashi stated, his tone not amused.

"Oh I'm sorry," I giggled, patting his arm consolingly, "but you just get so defensive when it comes to your books."

I giggled again, almost skipping (again) in my happiness at having my friend back.

"You are so mean," Kakashi shook his head as his steps quickened subtly to keep up with me like earlier.

I sent him a flirty smile. "Oh stop, I think I am blushing," I held a hand to my cheek in mock embarrassment.

Kakashi leaned his head back to inspect the sky, weary. The smile dropped off my face and I stopped us walking in the creeping dusk light, concern framed my face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, pushing myself to my tip toes to try and see his face more clearly but he childishly turned his face away each time. Irritated, I finally grabbed his chin. "HEY!"

Kakashi rolled his eye downward to look at my face that probably gave him an image of my mouth tightening in a scowl.

"What's wrong?" I continued softly, my grip punishing, loosened until I was cupping his chin instead. Maybe I was just being a little bit unkind with my grip.

Gently, Kakashi pushed my hand down, shaking his head and took my elbow and begun walking again, me dogging his steps, my blue eyes never once leaving his face.

"Nothing, firefly," he said, the pitch of his voice was low in sadness. "I'm just a little bit uneasy."

I nodded like I understood but grabbing his hand I all but dragged him home.

Pushing through the worn thin door, we stumbled with all our bags and I could see Kakashi's surprise at the cleanliness of the room.

"How-" he began to ask, his eye wide as he took in another sofa that was in the place of the one that was covered in kunai holes.

"You didn't think that I would leave everything in the state that it was did you?" I asked incredulity pitching my tone high. "You're just a little bit ungrateful for my presence."

Kakashi was still standing there numbly and with another eye roll, I left him in the living room heading towards the kitchen. I could see the slight film of dust from lack of the usage and I couldn't help but dot the eyes of a smiley face in the remaining dust with a little chuckle before grabbing a wash cloth and began cleaning.

"Obviously you have been working in the kitchen regularly, because you know, you love it so much." Kakashi said sarcastically, finally over his clean living room, now obsessed with the slight dust that even covered the walls. But, in my opinion, that was there before he lived here.

"Whatever, do you want to continue to convince me that I don't want to cook for you, or do you want to get over here?" I asked snippily. "Anyway, it was only a little bit on my mind."

Kakashi contemplated his options for a moment before he peeled off his gloves and headed to the sink to wash his scarred hands and when his sided accidently hit the counter I heard an almost indistinguishable hiss. Almost.

"You're hurt?" I asked, abandoning the cleaning in favour of gently turning Kakashi to me, inspecting him for any visible injuries. "Where?"

Kakashi batted away my hands with a practiced ease which made me narrow my eyes.

"Strip," I ordered coldly, my hands fisted on my hips.

Kakashi folded his arms giving a defensive stance.

"If you don't strip," I uttered lowly, slowly advancing on him, "I am taking you to the hospital and if I can't do that, I will get Sakura who will probably be very, _very_ angry. Now which is it to be?"

Kakashi continued to stand there until he stiffly pulled his top over his shoulders and head until he stood there in all his bare glory and I could guess even with his second mask on that he had a mulish expression on.

I tried to not distracted by all the raised white scar tissue, but I was a little bit blind, to focus on the red and purple mottling covering the entirety of his right side and a seeping wound on his left side possibly cutting something important. It always did on those medical shows right?

Giving a frustrated sigh through my nose that made me seem angrier with the hiss of a snake imitation. I pressed my hand lightly to the ribs which made Kakashi protest again, slightly more audible and I ignored the sound of my ears popping as I felt the sensory overload begin. I rolled my eyes but I could feel the worry for him show on my brow as I continued to prod and feeling the bones seemingly crack and grind together.

Unconsciously, I checked the other side and was unable to tell the difference in all honesty but I nodded my head like I understood what had happened.

"You don't know what's wrong do you?" Kakashi said teasingly, humour evident in his deep, sleep deprived voice.

I blushed but saw my hands flare a bright green hue which I snatched away from him horrified but I was especially surprised when Kakashi brought my hand back almost desperately and sighed when my hand came in rough contact with his ribs again.

"What are you-" I cut off, gaping at the sight of the bruises receding until I saw his rib the exactly same shape as the other, despite what I said about the ribs feeling exactly the same.

What made it worse was when I could feel little vibrations in addition to minute cracking sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies, the only indicator of the bones resetting. I tried not to gag at the sound.

Just when I was about to pull away, feeling the smoothness and seeing the lack of purpled skin, Kakashi's hand tightened on my wrist. With an unknown slowness, he pulled my hand down his contoured chest until it rested on the blood that was still quickly oozing out of the wide hole but as soon as my hand rested over the laceration, I could _feel_ the inside of the wound actually healing before the wound knitted together.

"Man, this is so gross," I groaned, trying to hold in my stomach contents, while feeling a wave of lethargy overcome me, causing me to sway on my feet.

With a reassuring arm, Kakashi pushed my side chastely to sway me in the other direction. With a small smile, I blindly felt behind me to find one of the kitchen chairs to sit down in. Reaching around me, Kakashi pulled out one of the seats, pushing me gently until I flopped tiredly in a chair.

"You okay?" Kakashi asked, bringing up a bare palm to stroke my sweaty forehead, that I didn't realise was moist.

I nodded, despite the fact that I was feeling fluey, nauseous, feverish and lethargic. I tried not to vomit with the movement of my shaking my head. "Yep. Totally fine," I rasped, trying to bat away the hand that was feeling my temperature.

"You're burning up," he said, almost accused which I thought was a bit rich considering that he attempted to lie about his own injuries, which, can I point out were significantly worse.

I swerved to try and avoid the hand that descended on my head again, but over balanced with my heavy head and toppled out of the chair onto all fours, leaving me retching. I heard a sigh over my loud shivers. I felt arms go to grip my legs but my fist shot out to clip his jaw, causing Kakashi to loosen his hold in shock at allowing me to actually get in a hit.

"Move me, and I will not be responsible for my actions," I snarled, keeping my eyes closed to stop the floor dipping and rolling like the ocean.

Thankfully, I could already feel my dizziness receding and I, for some reason thought it would be a good idea to pinch the tender skin of my under forearm and this caused a shock of pain to go through me but I felt a flood of _energy_ and I felt rejuvenated in an instant. Fluttering open my eyes, I saw Kakashi towering over me, his eye tightened in worry.

Springing up like nothing happened, I went to the sink again, rinsing my hands of the sweat before bringing the cool water to my face to wash away the smell.

"Jenny?" I heard a tentative voice behind me.

Turning expectantly, I continued to wash my hands in soap before clanging out pans and pots for dinner.

"Hmmm?"

"Are you…" he paused, not sure how to continue.

"Better? Much," I finished for him before filling the pan with water to boil. "Now help me cut the vegetables."

"I thought _you_ were cooking me my meal," Kakashi grumbled, before grudgingly standing beside me, pulling a chopping board towards him, cutting up mushrooms, wrinkling his nose.

Both of us pretending like the past five minutes hadn't occurred.

"Don't like mushrooms?" I asked teasingly, "Are we going to have to bring in the choo-choo train for ickle Kawashi to eat his wittle veggies?"

Kakashi sent me a glare that told me he was _not_ amused by my tone.

I rolled my eyes, taking the chopping board out of his hands to slice the mushrooms how I liked them. "It's okay, I don't like them much either, that's why I only put a little in. You can do the potatoes then," I pointed my knife to the unpeeled and uncut potatoes.

Kakashi huffed out a breath before moving to retrieve a peeler from the drawer, before he began his duties as cook hand.

We worked in perfect silence, me just revelling in his unimposing presence while Kakashi seemingly ignored me. I didn't mind, I was content with the little jingle of the peeler as it cut through its enemy, the root vegetable, while my own knife thudded against the wooden board as I continued to chop through the mushrooms.

Looking over at him, I saw Kakashi about to cut the potatoes and I involuntary hissed, reaching over to stall him from making the fatal mistake of cutting it the wrong way.

"Not that way!" I cried out dismayed.

Kakashi backed up, holding his hands up in surrender, moving to sit at the kitchen table again, his fist propping up his face as he stared at me working in my element.

"You know, I think you are a bit anal about cooking," Kakashi commented casually.

So surprised with what he said, I dropped the potatoes heavily in the water causing the scalding water to splash on the skin of my forearms.

"Bugger!" I hissed, cradling my forearm to my chest protectively, glaring at the water like it did it with malevolent intent.

"Let me see," I heard his deep voice say next to me, causing me to shriek in surprise, shooting up and back nearly hitting the hot pan again in my attempt to compete with Olympic high jumpers.

It was only because of Kakashi's quick reflexes that saved even _more_ burning water from pouring all down my back. I gave him a rueful smile, before lowering my gaze, tucking a blue lock behind my ear.

"Thanks," I muttered to our feet.

It was because of this vantage point that meant that I could see his incredibly close feet move even closer and spy his hand raising up to my arm which was still rocked against my body, closing his fingers methodically on my wrist. I ignored the flush of sensation, hating the feeling of me feeling invigorated, that infernal beeping sound in the background, just allowing him to examine the damage before bringing me over to the sink where he let a steady stream of water flush out of the tap before testing to see if it was cold.

Satisfied, Kakashi pulled my willing body over to the sink where I noticed our proximity, our silence only breached by our quiet breaths.

"How's it feeling?" Kakashi broke it after a minute or so with the crystalline water pouring over my reddened skin, his deep baritone leaving me flushed at his masculinity.

"B-better," I stuttered and secretly I cursed myself at the weakness in my voice.

I cleared my throat when Kakashi still held my arm under the water.

"I think I can still cook now," I said softly, reluctant to ask Kakashi to do anything.

Kakashi nodded softly, his hair brushing his forehead and I had to avert my eyes before I was overwhelmed with the urge to comb it back, to tame the unruly mess.

I shuffled on my feet, to try and prompt him to move back, which he eventually did to only perch on the neighbouring counter, much to my chagrin. I began slicing the carrots and bringing out a wok, I poured a healthy dose of oil, allowing that to heat, before efficiently chopping up the lamb and sizzling it in the pan.

For the entire hour it took for me to make a stir fry on the side of the steak for Kakashi so he could get all the protein to replenish his system, we worked in silence. Kakashi while leaning against the counter acted as my unofficial assistant and seemed to know what I wanted before I even asked for it, handing me pans before I could ask, forcing me to close my mouth again and turn to the meat and vegetables hissing out their mini cries of pain.

My roommate laid out the cutlery but before I could do it and finally I twisted away from the table to allow him the privacy of taking off his mask. Sensing his disapproval, I quickly talked over him.

"I'm afraid you'd drop the plate if I forced you to eat off your lap. You're too tired, just eat your food," I signified the discussion over with an overly large bite of hot food causing me to choke on the noodles that were running down my throat.

Placing my plate on the less than clean floor, I held my chest, my eyes watering forcing me to try and swallow and expel the searing food. I felt a hand smacking me on the back hard and over the waves swishing in my ears I heard a muffled voice calling to me, trying to get me get my airway clear.

Finally, with a large croak, my noodles threw over to the counter, splattering in a brown mess.

God everything was going wrong that evening.

I grimaced and flushed, darting a glance over my shoulder to see Kakashi's concerned expression.

"I'll clean that up," I said ruefully, to Kakashi's amusement who gave me an honest eye crinkle.

"I have an overwhelming sense of déjà vu," he said teasingly. A red blush flagged my cheeks at the reminder of the first time I met him where I had vomited but still offered to clean it up.

Reflexively, Kakashi pulled me into his chest, offering my comfort despite the fact I was already fine. It should say something about how I acted often enough. Instead, I welcomed the feeling of my friend safe and whole, there still to be alive for my entertainment and sanity.

"I'm glad you made it back safely," I mumbled into his chest praying that he didn't hear the desperation in what I said, hoping that he would realise how much I needed this.

Wordlessly, his arms tightened around me. To let me know that he heard me? To let me know that he acknowledged I said something but didn't hear it? Whatever it was, I felt the encompassing warmth and safety of his being.

He sighed mournfully. "Your lack of faith hurts me."

I laughed, pushing him back, going to the sink to begin cleaning the unpleasant mess on the floor. "Whatever, go over there and eat the steak I so nicely made for you."

He went with his grumbles but I knew from the quick shuffle of his chair how keen he was to eat my greasy steak.

I calmly kept my back to him as I picked my still full plate and put it in the food bin, my ears straining to listen to the scrape of the knife cutting through the tender meat like butter. It was cooked to perfection, if I do say so myself. I heard a slight breath in before I heard muffled chewing.

I kept my methodical motion of the wash cloth following around in a circle.

"I think I don't want you spoiling me too much longer; I don't want me not able to eat the food rations anymore," his voice was careful but I heard the appreciation for my food and I couldn't help the warm glow that always sent me giddy at any compliment that anyone gave after eating one bite of my meal.

"I'll run you a bath to relax," I tried to keep my voice neutral, so he wouldn't guess how happy I was from just one compliment.

"I don't own any bath stuff," Kakashi protested from the table yet was unwilling to leave his meal undefended.

"I'll make do!" I called back, my hand batting away his concern but I think my skipping betrayed my true feelings from his compliment.

I was already in the hallway so I missed the:

"You always do."

…o0o…

Kakashi whispered to himself as he saw the cheery blue haired girl round the corner to go into the bathroom where faintly he heard the gurgle of water filling the tub.

Turning back to his divine meal, he couldn't restrain the moan that urged to come out earlier but he didn't want to inflate Jenny's ego more than usual. Slicing into another piece of the beef, Kakashi piled a little bit of the stir fry, especially mushrooms.

It was something he usually hated but he could have sworn that she covered them in kami goodness because he was raring to eat them. This was completely the opposite on what he did with other people's cooking where there would be a slowly increasing pile of the grey, rubbery food, making his own tower on the side of the circle of porcelain.

Finishing his meal with a lightening quickness, his aching body was enthusiastic for a woman's touch, or caring. This was something Kakashi could get used to.

Someone to cook for him when he came home, to bandage him up when he came back from a danger filled mission, someone to brush his naturally grey hair off his forehead to join the mess on his scalp. To run him a hot bath…

Kakashi shook his head vehemently, averse to the thought of seeing Jenny anything more than a roommate. She was excellent at moving past the awkward. Neither of them would want to have to struggle with what had already transpired between them. He'd seen more of her skin than all of Sakura put together.

Kakashi halted just outside the bathroom, seeing the steam curling up from the bubbly water, Jenny crouched in front of the running water, reading one of his books, enraptured, seemingly forgotten about the water that was more than half way. More than the quarter he usually limited himself to when he, rarely, had a bath.

The economical part of him shrieked that she was killing them, drowning them in the very water they needed to survive. Trying to measure his steps, Kakashi rushed to the tap to switch it off before standing before her.

Jenny barely looked up at his eye and was too busy turning a page to even care what he was doing.

Finally, annoyed at her blasé attitude, Kakashi played with his waist band just to see if Jenny would notice, before undoing the button to his standard, now ripped, shinobi trousers.

The sound of clothes hitting the floor was finally what snatched the closet female pervert from her book and looked at the clothes that were pooled at his feet, travelling up muscled legs, lingering at his brief covered privates, she halted at his chest.

Her mouth moving in wordless appreciation, her pink tongue swiping over her lips, tantalisingly before cheekily meeting his shocked gaze, she finally grinned at his shocked expression.

"I drew the bath," she said needlessly.

Kakashi moved his eyes in their sockets before sweeping his arm past him until it ended at the door, indicating the direction Jenny should have been going.

Instead she stood with a feigned lazy stretch for her back. "You sure you don't need anyone to wash your back for you?" she teased, but still continued on past him turning right again for the bedroom.

"Maybe I'll call you in later, if I get too lazy," he called after her, wanting to have the last word in their repartee.

"Whatever, but maybe I won't want to because who would want to be scarred by the sight of an old man's pot belly!" Jenny called back good naturedly.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. He didn't have a pot belly.

Ignoring his insecurities, Kakashi rubbed the skin on his face that felt as a bin liner; his hand sliding almost seamless on his face until he was hindered by the annoying cloth of his mask.

With a sneaky look to the broken door with the peeling paint, Kakashi mimicked the paint too and removed the black safe guard from his face breathing a lungful of unopposed oxygen. It was a relief, it was clean and he could suddenly feel like the scent of sweet spearmint was overwhelming him.

Placing his feet in the hot water, he could feel his tight muscles loosening under the healing powers of the bubbly water and he couldn't help but sigh and submerge the rest of his body in the cleansing pool, his back to the door, his front to the window.

Why was it that he never had the water higher than a quarter again?

There was that small voice in the back of his head still trying to convince him that he shouldn't get too comfortable because as soon as he was out, this was never happening again and for another thing….

Kakashi lolled his head back to recline on the lip of the bath tub and just released the tension from his chest with a larger huff than before, just contemplating the ceiling with the cracked plaster and yellow damp stains.

Kakashi's mind whirled around the shabbiness of his flat but he couldn't help but feel nostalgic. It was the first and last buy when he completed his first mission in ANBU. This was where he first sat after the death of Obito. Kakashi furiously clenched his eyes shut. No, he wouldn't think of him.

This was a bath of relaxation and atonement. He has atoned for everything in this tub. That was why he avoided it.

He never managed to ever atone for the death of his sparky teammate. It wasn't long after that Rin went and left him.

And what about his father? The one he scorned? The one he would never have followed until he realised that the apple never fell that far from the tree after all.

There was a light lap and Kakashi darted his glance to the water hiding his imperfect body and saw little rain droplets falling and rippling the water. Kakashi examined the ceiling confused before he dabbed a dry hand where it came back damp. He was crying.

Well, it had been a while. It was bound to happen eventually. What with Jenny and Sakura-kami why could he not stop thinking about the pink haired kunoichi?

His eye closed in resignation as his mind made the familiar circle around the confusing girl.

_He ran his hand up and under her dress. It was easy enough for him then to just _flick_ her damp knickers where everyone else was interested in their conversations, otherwise they would have heard her breathy sigh before her head lost its ability to stay upright and it slagged onto his shoulder. _

_Obviously this was when his own mind had to cock block himself. _

_In favour of acting nonchalant despite his finger was playing somewhere that if he and Sakura were anywhere else, he would be definitely not acting like the teasing sensei, he looked over to the bar to try and pretend that he didn't care about the girl that was curled into his side. But then almost stilled his hand. _

_While Jenny was an attractive girl, he couldn't deny that, he never really saw her sexual appeal. Well, he was now very sorry he ever thought that. _

_She was leaning against the bar, her elbow propped on the side while her eyes were demure, you could see the shit eating grin that softly covered her face as she watched the Inuzuka step towards her, boxing her further into her corner. _

_Jenny then said something coy and subconsciously, Kakashi rubbed his finger harder causing the pinkette to bite her lower lip to stall her mew of pleasure. Kakashi was jolted back to himself when he realised he had the girl he loved right next to him allowing him to finger her right there, like something out of Icha Icha, or well maybe as PG rated as it got as far as erotic romance went. _

_Futilely, he tried to avert his attention to something of better consequence but his perverted eyes were drawn to the sight of dark brown hair guarding Jenny's face but he saw perhaps a curve of the tinted lips, saw the drink being abandoned by her elbow and the very hand that held the cold beverage traced its way up to a tanned bicep. _

_Kakashi almost snorted at the sight of the younger shinobi flexing his muscles and Jenny giggling. The tally of using that very pick up when he was in his younger days, well… he would need more walls than he had in his entire flat. _

_He was brought out of his reminiscing by one Sakura who rubbed her thighs needy, begging for more of his touch which he obliged albeit absentmindedly as he kept one eye trained on Jenny who began staggering over to him, her eerie eyes alight with a feverish fire, something he hadn't seen since she came back from that mission, no matter how much she tried to hide it. _

_Kakashi felt his hard on slowly deflate at the remembrance of the lonely and heartbroken picture she made that morning, her kneeling in the water, both hands concealing her eyes and the backs of her now scarred hands pressed against the slow running water of the stream. _

_He was brought out of his memory by the thought that he was staring at her. With the reminder that he didn't want the drunk Jenny to get the wrong idea, he pressed his hand on his neighbours apex of her thighs harder causing Sakura to try and catch her breath. _

"_I'm going home with Kiba, don't wait up." Jenny tried to whisper in Kakashi's ear but almost blew his ear drum, smirking to herself, her pearly white teeth making an appearance giving her pale skin and ethereal eyes a ghostly impression. _

_He was so busy thinking hard about what Jenny was saying that Sakura mewed again quietly to make it evident that she wanted more attention. _

_The sound did not get passed those blue eyes and Jenny's sight narrowed on the hand that was cupping Sakura much to the embarrassment of the pink haired girl. _

_Jenny gave the grey haired man a knowing wink. _

"_Well, if you do wait up I don't think it will be too _hard_." _

_Kakashi wanted to sigh at the obvious euphemism but settled for a disdainful glare but he didn't think he hid the fact that Kakashi was worried about the girl's companion behind her. He saw and felt the impatience of Inuzuka by the bar just from sitting there. _

"_Your wit is astounding," Kakashi drawled, his attention brought back to the dark haired boy who finished necking his pint and was rolling his shoulders, a sign of getting ready to leave. He turned his scrutinising gaze back to the almost squirming blue haired civilian. "Isn't it too soon?" _

_But you know what was too soon? That _Inuzuka's_ wandering hands. _

_Kakashi's dark, almost stormy eye followed the boy's hands as they slid not at all subtly towards Jenny's breasts, stopping at fully cupping them. _

_But what was he doing? And why did Kakashi care? He wasn't her keeper any longer. While he might not fully trust her, she was a good roommate from all the three days that he had her but he couldn't shake that…_

"_I'll be fine," Jenny had the audacity to shoot him another jaunty wink. "You just focus on you." _

_Finally, the inferior Casa Nova brought his hand to actually take Jenny's breasts in his hands, sending Jenny leaning back into his chest. Or it could have been because he was forcing her back, forcing her to enjoy it…_

_Kakashi scolded himself for the overprotective instinct he was getting. He was sure Jenny would be fine…_

_Kakashi almost flinched at the sight of Jenny's reaction which had hardened what had been soft between his legs. It was as good as any virgin. _

_But Jenny didn't linger. _

_Without a word of goodbye, the blue haired wraith left with her prey, through the door and into another. _

_Kakashi thought that he could now focus on the beauty beside him to his full degree but try as he might, to escape into the lust filled haze, he saw Sakura's actions and he was unaware that he had thought _Jenny wouldn't act like that, she would tip her head where she would gasp and…

_Gah! He needed to stop thinking about her like that. _

_But what if she was in danger? _

_The very thought made Kakashi's blood still in the very veins that contained them._

_It was lucky then, when his former student had a tendency to be impatient. _

"_Let's go back to yours," Sakura said her clear eyes bright and sober. _

_He shuffled on the seat undecided. This _was_ what he had wanted for almost a year now… _

_The decision was made for him when the powerful kunoichi bumped her hip into his forcing him to leave the booth first. _

_While he wasn't inebriated, Kakashi was pleasantly tipsy and tipsy made him more affectionate. _

_Sneaking out the door, leaving their friends with the bill, Kakashi cupped Sakura's opposite hip, something more chaste than what he usually would want but his mind was on other things. _

_Like where was Jenny? Was the Inuzuka treating her well? Did she need help? _

_Shaking his head, he determinedly focussed on the girl beside him, not the one lying with another man at this point. _

_The journey back was a blur where he was aware of Sakura's lascivious strokes across all his body before they made it up to his flat where Kakashi teasingly took an extraordinary amount of time but gave up any pretence when the kunoichi took the initiative and grinded against him, causing Kakashi, the famous Copy Nin, to pause as the wave of pleasure roared through his previously stunted blood. _

_Stumbling through the door, like every cliché, they began to maul the other's face as soon as Sakura ripped the material of his mask in her eagerness to reach his smooth lips. _

_The sound of ripping clothes hardened the semi that Kakashi already tended and in return he reached for the zipper on Sakura's vest, his eyes enraptured by the heaving of the ribs, allowing her bust size to be increased. _

_The sound of the zipper was so incredibly loud as it was moved slowly from top to bottom before it was released. With an aching slowness for Sakura, Kakashi began soft open mouth kisses from her prominent collar bone making his way down the giving, soft flesh. _

_Sakura weaved her hands into the older man's unruly hair in unadulterated passion, holding him to her chest._

_Too excited, Kakashi pushed Sakura onto the couch, his head roaming southward where Sakura's stomach clenched delighted. _

_Pinging the elastic band on the white cotton that Sakura was wearing, Kakashi accepted an unwelcome thought that Jenny was wearing a hot pink number that the silk unconsciously cupped-_

Kakashi yanked himself out of the memory, an erection in the hot water wasn't making it any easier on his body he wanted to stall the wave of bitterness but as much as he wanted to deny it, they were a little bit out of time.

The grey haired man rubbed his chest as if he could massage the emotional ache from it. Stupid organ.

Keeping his head lolled back, he wondered if Sakura was thinking about him too? Or had she gone to Sasuke in the time that it took for him to return home?

Kakashi shook his head. He really needed to stop thinking about that. She was with him now, not the bastard.

Rubbing on the soap decisively, Kakashi allowed himself all the time it needed before the hot leaked out of the tub. If he was going to be paying for that water bill, he damn well was going to make it worth it.

There was a strong knock on the open door and Kakashi barely had the time to recover the mask around his neck before his roommate sauntered in, heading directly toward the shower. Being the pervert he was, Kakashi caught the sign that Jenny hooked her thumbs into the waist band of the trackie bottoms she was wearing and was about to slide them off her bony hips.

"How's that bath doing you?" she asked from behind Kakashi and he just managed to get a nod out before he pretended he was distracted by his hastily picked up pornographic book rather than the attractive girl who had entered the shower where after a couple of minutes her sweet mango scent permeated the claustrophobic bathroom.

Kakashi merely grunted, trying to focus on the wavering lines in front of him but could not restrain the thought of naked water running down an equally bare Jenny. Down those breasts…

Down boy! Kakashi mentally ordered his hard on as it tried to peek out through the mountains of bubbles.

Think of Sakura! Those heated moans from the other night, the small breasts that reminded him of an equally small chested bluenette.

Kakashi slapped himself very hard with a resounding clap. So loud that Jenny hopped quickly out of the shower, looking for the enemy her bare body on show for all to see despite the window not being frosted glass.

With the sight of the tones arms and almost toned belly, Kakashi felt a strong urge to slap himself again, but maybe this time not to stop until he was unconscious so then he wouldn't be haunted by the sight of the wraith like creature hunting for danger.

To hide his alarm at the sight of his roommate, he darted a glance towards the neighbouring building's window where he saw a young man walk past but pause. Back tracking, this man stopped in front of his window where he gaped at the naked profile of Jenny, who was still oblivious to her surroundings and was heading towards the bathroom door to try and see the "intruder".

"What are you looking for?" Kakashi drawled, trying to restrain the part of him that was begging to protect the younger tenant from the pervert across the building.

_If that guy is a pervert for an accidental peeking, what does that make us?_ That annoying inner voice said.

Shaking his head to turn his attention towards the Jenny who had a look of complete confusion and was ignorant of the orange tinted foam layered in the blue strands.

"I just thought I heard…" Kakashi almost felt guilty for sounding so judgmental but he pushed that side of him away irritably and made himself look up drolly.

"Well I am sure that you _will_ hear that guy across from us having one off the wrist in a minute if you don't get back in the shower," Kakashi said casually, his hand simultaneously turning a page.

The horror that dawned on her face was almost comical. Almost.

Jenny looked towards the unobstructed window where she did indeed spot an acne covered face, arranging a box of tissues on the side. Jenny gave a loud squeal which made even the usual level faced Copy Nin wince at the pitch but watched in amusement as Jenny comically dived for the shower stall, her derriere unknowingly sticking up in the air, more tantalising.

"Jesus! What is it about this fucking village that surrounds me with the fucking creepies?!" Jenny yelled to herself, continuing her shower as she freaked out.

"Hey!" Kakashi interrupted in fake outrage. "You are one of those 'creepies' too." The unspoken quotation marks there.

There was a snort and a squeech as more soap came out of a bottle. "Please. I don't count."

Kakashi frowned but a thought highlighted his thoughts and timed when Jenny was going to leave the stall.

With the skill of a shinobi, Kakashi climbed out of the bath tub exactly as Jenny left the shower, expecting the grey haired man to have his back to her. She couldn't have been further from the truth.

Kakashi took a perverse pleasure in seeing the bluenette speechless as she followed every crevice which had trails of water following.

"I stand by my statement: you are a pervert," Kakashi stated smugly at the popping of Jenny's eyes as she realised that she had been staring at his body.

With a flush and another squeal, she turned her back to him, hunting along the floor for a towel.

"You are a massive dick," Jenny mumbled, wrapping a blue towel tightly around her torso and with more force than necessary, chucked a more ratty towel over her shoulder to Kakashi who glanced over his shoulder to the window where he saw the creep jerking off still looking at Jenny, completely oblivious to Kakashi's presence.

With an annoyed grunt, he walked in direct line of the creep's gaze who to his great amusement gave a look of complete horror before falling back heels over head. Satisfied, Kakashi bent to pick the grey material from the floor and began to rub down his body, his eye looking to the body of water still in the tub with a sigh of disappointment.

_So much for using it for all its worth_, he thought as he morosely unplugged the bath tub and tying a hard knot at his waist, Kakashi walked into the bedroom to get some pyjama bottoms, finding Jenny already in a pair of his boxers and t-shirt, snuggling into the duvet.

"Nice pyjamas," Kakashi commented pointedly.

Startled, Jenny looked down at her chest and blushed again as she realised that she was wearing his clothes and awkwardly rubbed her nose with her knuckle.

"Sorry, this was the only thing to reassure me when you were gone," she said sheepishly, tracing his duvet with her index fingernail. "Guess sort of new habits die hard."

Kakashi pulled on his bottoms and replaced his soiled mask with a new one as he slid into the bedding as well.

"Aw, someone missed me?" Kakashi said teasingly, bumping his shoulder into Jenny's before sliding further down in the sheets, getting comfortable after at least a week of sleeping on the hard ground, the mattress was a welcome change.

Jenny shoved his shoulder irritably before also moving so she lay horizontally. "Shut up. You already knew that," she grumbled but still, he was hyper aware of a hand that came to rest on his shoulder and all the feelings of the sheets became numbed to him.

Kakashi held in the need to flinch away from her touch but continually worried about the feeling of the lack of touch, his senses were dulled, anesthetised.

The lightness in his mind was overwhelming him and unable to fight the feeling of sleep with such a comfy mattress cradling his body, Kakashi succumbed to the need to shut down with the pretty girl next to him.

…o0o…

**Just wanted to say thank you to the reviewers that I couldn't pm back :3**

**Way to boost the self-esteem there. You guys are awesome.**

**Oh by the way, the song that I had as the title of the chapter, I kind of based the chapter around it but also did what the hell I want :P but you guys should totally give it a listen.**

**Also if you guys want some funny awkward filler idea that you want Jenny and Kakashi to play out, just pm me and I'll try and fit it in where I think it works.**

**~JustThatKindOfSpecial**


	9. Not The Little Girl You Thought

Not The Little Girl You Thought

"**Aw, someone missed me?" Kakashi said teasingly, bumping his shoulder into Jenny's before sliding further down in the sheets, getting comfortable after at least a week of sleeping on the hard ground, the mattress was a welcome change. **

**Jenny shoved his shoulder irritably before also moving so she lay horizontally. "Shut up. You already knew that," she grumbled but still, he was hyper aware of a hand that came to rest on his shoulder and all the feelings of the sheets became numbed to him. **

**Kakashi held in the need to flinch away from her touch but continually worried about the feeling of the lack of touch, his senses were dulled, anesthetised. **

**Unable to fight the feeling a sleep with such a comfy mattress cradling his body, Kakashi succumbed to the need to sleep. **

…o0o…

_Trapped._

_I wanted to pound my fists on the body like prison. I just wanted out! _

_There were those paper rustles again, but so close to my ears that I wanted to flinch away but my body didn't do anything. _

_Why wasn't it doing anything?!_

_Dear Lord help me, I am begging you. Where was mum? Dad? Nathaniel? Rin?_

_Susie?_

_Why were they leaving me here? _

_I could barely manage to twitch me toes. However the more important issue was that I had something stuck down my lungs, blocking my airways yet I was still breathing._

_How was that even possible?! Jesus I was freaking out. _

_I couldn't fight my way out of this. I couldn't feel hunger. I couldn't feel thirst. I couldn't blink let alone even thinking of breathing out of my nose instead of my mouth. _

_The feeling of my legs filled with lead made my heart want to increase but instead there was a numbing feeling of it not reacting. _

_And then, there was that beeping. That blasted, bloody beeping. It was in my ear, it was surrounding me, it was like an axe waiting to drop. _

_I wanted to scream and I wanted to cry. _

_I was gonna cry. I was gonna cry. _

_I was gonna-_

I sat up straight with a gasp, my eyes opening wide, my lungs begging me for breath, oxygen, blissful oxygen. I grasped my chest like every cliché after a nightmare.

The nightmares were back.

While Kakashi was gone, I worked myself into oblivion and if the work wasn't tiring enough I drank myself to the equal plane.

I allowed myself to flop my heavy head into my awaiting hands.

But none of them were so _vivid_ like this one before now.

I could feel my chest tightening with a familiar panic, my heart thrumming in a bird's wing beats. Finally reacting unlike in my dream.

There was the early dawn light, a barely grey colour, that was lighting the room, giving me distinct sights of the objects around me, trying to comfort me through the familiar surroundings, even the one lying next to me.

I looked over to the side where I saw Kakashi's body was motionless other than the occasional breath. While his back was faced towards me, I slowly tilted my body so it was leaning over so I could glimpse at his profile.

He still wore that stupid sleep mask and unlike the other guys I knew, he didn't sleep shirtless. Or he didn't unless he couldn't help it in this muggy country.

In my panic induced state, I didn't realise I had found my hand inching towards his face. I knew the first time that I had met him I said I would respect his privacy, but the curiosity seemed to only be piqued more with each passing day and resulting way he finds a way to hide his face. Maybe if I took a quick look then maybe the fear in me would tone down, at least knowing something was real and I could affect it.

Barely a centimetre away, I stopped. If I did this, I would finally put a real face to the name, my curiosity sated and my mind would be at peace.

Then I frowned. But if I did do this, I would lose my friendship, my companion, my free books and comfort. I would lose him.

I sucked in a breath before rolling away silently and swung my legs out of the bed.

I needed to get out of there. _Right. Now_.

Quietly, I darted to the dresser where I got my sports kit out and changing hurriedly, finding my heart was racing already with no sign of slowly down. I had to do something about this, the nightmare still had its hold on me and I didn't know how to stop it.

I was lacing my trainers before I knew it with my shaky hands and I was out of the door, trying to hold my panic attack until I was further away, until I was pounding it into the ground with my feet.

When I trekked down the frightful stairs, I began to sprint for the outskirts, looking to lose myself in the treeline. However, it felt like I was never getting any closer, each house seeming like the one before it, the pavement appearing the same dirty slab that I was running on.

I knew that this was just one of my side effects and that the dizziness was going to be soon overwhelming me, but I kept trying to move forward but it was like trying to sprint through treacle. It just couldn't be done.

Slowing down, I propped myself on the nearby wall, trying to regain my breath, my sanity and anything that seemed to be lost in the haze of my panic. I was panting and sweating despite the cool morning and my eyes seemed to blur in front of me.

I grasped the wall harder.

"That wasn't as long as I thought it would be," I mild voice commented from my side.

I screeched in surprise, ducking to a crouch ready to run again but relaxed when I saw who it was.

"Not now Kakashi," I turned my gaze away from him, to look anywhere but at him dressed in a black tight fitting top coupled with a mask (of course) and running shoes. I clenched my chest as it tried to deal with the new variable, attempting to reach into my cavity to try and slow my beating organ down.

I didn't want him to witness another attack where he would have to calm me down again. I didn't want him to think I relied on him, on his presence in my weakness.

_But we do don't we, you can't do anything yourself_, a small part of me whispered cruelly. I closed my eyes, a whimper reaching up through my throat ready to turn into sobs at any given time.

Instead of answering, Kakashi began to languidly stretch, not once did his eye go over my haggard form, despite sprinting for all of two minutes, giving the impression of privacy in a not-so-private-setting, for which I was grateful.

"I know a good track to do if you want, about three, four miles if you are up for it," Kakashi finally said, ignoring the situation entirely, his eye finally going over my heavily panting chest and the visible shakes in my hands. "I'll even let you set the pace."

He gave me a reassuring eye crinkle that loosened the rope that was binding my chest into not taking the normal volume of air.

But still I stared at him. What was he doing? Why wasn't he looking awkward like he should be doing? My mouth hanging slightly open after the pants I had been making until I resolved that since Kakashi didn't seem to mind, I would close it.

In its place, I simply nodded uncertainly, before jogging at a slightly lighter pace from my frenzied dash.

While I didn't say it, I was glad Kakashi was running next to me. It was a reassurance to mean that I wouldn't do anything crazy while just doing that. A simple run.

Finally, I had someone to trust implicitly without the need for my family.

The family I wasn't so sure I would find again.

It had been almost half an hour, it had been building up to erupt. I knew it, my brain knew it. It was just time to stop. I stumbled to my knees where Kakashi tried to catch me but I yanked my arm out of his hold, trying to avoid the intensifying senses as allowed my feverish face to lie in the dusty ground, just begging for a simple answer to my problems.

Why couldn't I just go back?

I allowed the water damn that had been bursting in my throat finally break free and I let my misery out through the physical shakes of my shoulders and the wasted water leaking out of my face.

I felt a crunch next to me where Kakashi crouched and there was a moment of silence before there was a light, hesitant hand on the small of my back giving tiny small soothing circles. I almost hated the touch as it amplified everything. Everything. My feelings, my smell.

But then I could imperceptibly feel like there was less lead in my legs, the complete opposite from my dream which calmed me down to large degree.

I lay there until I finally felt my tear ducts close, unable to force more than a single tear out further.

"Time to go?" he asked, his voice never betraying what he truly thought which I couldn't decide whether it was a blessing or not.

I nodded dumbly into the ground, relishing the feel of the small pain of the bread crumb gravel grinding against my face.

Hooking a hand over my elbow, Kakashi tugged me up and we slowly walked back to the flat in silence, with the morning sun christening our bodies in blood red and woke up the rest of the inhabitants of the village.

…o0o…

The morning continued like how it normally would. Me, cooking breakfast while Kakashi sat at the table, feigning conversation as he read his book.

But I wasn't going to let him off and made a joke about making my other sexual dish the Daisy-Chain, if he wanted it.

He did not appreciate that and was the first time where I got given the silent treatment from Kakashi.

Walking out of the door, with a cheery wave, I made it to the shop in time to see a bleary Ino opening it on the opposite side of the door, away from the chilly morning which was deceptive to the humid heat which was sure to come later.

I couldn't wait for the day to come to an end so I could be with Kakashi again. I knew he couldn't tell me about the mission but I was certain he could tell me more about the countries surrounding Konoha. The things he would have seen, the different cultures!

I was almost salivating.

At the end of the day, I impatiently cleaned the surfaces and left, again, more than a few flour dust particles in my haste to go.

I slinked out of my uniform with a practiced ease and all but sprinted home where I unlocked the door with feigned nonchalance, knowing that I rushed would only inflate Kakashi's ego further.

With a shake of my head, I walked in calling:

"Hey Kakashi! I got some more spare foods for us!" I placed the plastic bags with the plastic tubs of the uneaten confectionary, inside, on the coffee table. "Tonight we'll dine like kings!"

There was an eerie silence and I frowned, going through all the rooms finding no sign of the pervert anywhere. I tried to tamp down the disappointment. He didn't need to stay around and baby sit me after all.

He was probably with Sakura.

Going into the lonely, absent kitchen, I began to make a dinner. There was no hesitation as I made enough for two so Kakashi could decide if he wanted to eat later or not.

Turning to eat at the table, my eyebrows shot up in shock at the sight of a flimsy bit of paper with an elegant scrawl that made me doubtful that it was from Kakashi.

Regardless, I picked up the paper with a dubious index and thumb.

_Firefly,_

I snorted but continued.

_Gone out with friends. Don't wait up. _

_Number One Pervert. _

Another snort and I flicked the paper to the opposite side of the table and began to dig into the spicy meal. The quiet was pressing. The lack of presence punishing.

I swallowed a particularly large bite before going to the bedroom.

Might as well try to get an early night.

…o0o…

"So did the hellion jump your bones as soon as you got home, Kakashi-_sensei_," Iruka said bitterly, taking a mighty gulp of the larger in front of him, licking away the foam from his upper lip.

Kakashi looked up from his porn to frown in confusion at his friend. Well, who he _thought_ to be his friend.

"Aw, don't mind him Hatake. He is just bitter that he got rejected by your estranged daughter," Asuma rolled his eyes heavenward before taking a particularly large inhale of his cigarette, dashing it against the side of the ash tray to let sparks rain down into the glass.

"My estranged daughter?" Kakashi was steadily becoming more and more confused as this line of questioning continued.

"Jenny! It's Jenny!" Iruka finally snapped annoyance crinkling up the corners of his eyes as he squinted angrily at him.

Kakashi, ever the cool man, simply stared at the irate man until he finally became slightly more chagrined, looking down at his lap, the very picture of a naughty child being scolded.

"Sorry, it's just that she gave such good hea-"

Kakashi horrified, clasped his ears with his hands on the verge of childishly shouting "lalalalalalalalala!" but his reputation kept him from sinking that low. But it was close. Oh, so close.

"Ah come on Kakashi," Genma chipped in, rolling his own cigarette while eyeing the rest of the women in the beer garden. "You can't tell us that you didn't hit that before officially going out with Sakura, can you?"

Kakashi just glared at the man who was in the process of licking the paper. Genma paused as he took in Kakashi's defensive position and hadn't even let his eyes flit to the neighbouring girls, one of whom was blatantly checking him out and was doing everything except dropping her knickers directly in front of him.

"You haven't!" Genma accused, dropping his roll up to point at him in shame.

Even Gai had stopped downing his second beer in favour of almost splurting it all over Kakashi who dodged neatly into another seat on the circular bench and gave them all a look of distain.

"You _haven't_ tapped that?" Izumo and Kotesu demanded in synchronisation.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Izumo continued, his eyes closing, dreaming of that body, that hair…

He was rudely shaken away by the sharp clonk from the book that had been thrown at him, forcing him to fall on his back.

The occupants turned to the grey haired man, who still had an orange book in his hand.

"What did you-?" Iruka started tentatively.

"It was one of my shittier books that I didn't get round to putting back on my shelf," outwardly, Kakashi was the epitome of cool and collected as he shrugged.

However, inside, Kakashi felt as if the metaphorical rug had been yanked from underneath his sure footing. Sweet, innocent Jenny giving head? She gave Iruka a blow job? She _gave _Iruka a blow job?

When did this happen?

But more importantly, why did Jenny not say anything about this?

Feigning nonchalance, Kakashi cleared his throat to get the attention of the teacher at the academy.

"Iruka, did you mean what you said? About-"

"Jenny-san giving me a blow job? Damn straight. She isn't too bad between the sheets either." Iruka grumbled grudgingly, tearing open a crisp packet to make it a free for all and he set about getting another drink out of his pint, eying Kakashi over the rim who hadn't looked up from his book.

"Hey, Kakashi?" he continued to scrutinise the man who continued to stare down at his book studiously, despite he hadn't moved his eyes for at least a few minutes.

The other man just grunted in recognition.

"Did you seriously not, you know?" Iruka asked, his voice layered with suspicion and incredulity.

Kakashi, taking his time, placed a finger in the book to mark his page and gazed steadily at the other man, oblivious to the tense silence surrounding him, the men at the edges of their seats, desperate to hear the answer.

"No, I did not, fuck her, shag her, bang her, screw her, tap that, make her see stars, give her the night that she won't forget and, or, rock her world," Kakashi listed aimlessly, his voice deceiving the hard look in his eye, each warning the men on the table not to question him.

There was a silence. There was a very large silence that was only broken by Kotesu's and Izumo's coughs to try and diffuse the awkward tension, which had irreversibly changed the perceptions that the grey haired man had of his roommate.

With the speed of a flying sebon, Kakashi had finished his drink and was waving goodbye to his friends, who had barely glanced at him from their embarrassment at the time.

And it was only when they looked up, they realised that he left his tab for them, signalling a groan in unison.

…o0o…

It was when Kakashi began his walk home that he began to think of Jenny.

Sure he knew that to other men, Jenny had sexual appeal. He knew that she was aesthetically pleasing to the eye and had a nice personality to boot. That is if you didn't count the blow up about her clothes being destroyed. However, what woman wouldn't be?

Kakashi kicked a stone distractedly, allowing the slight scrape across the ground pause his rummaging thoughts.

It was like he never really thought that she meant what she said, about liking older men. But obviously he was _very_ wrong indeed if she did what Iruka said she did.

Rubbing his face, Kakashi sighed looking up at the half moon in the sky. But what of Kiba? Was he even in the picture anymore?

Yes, he suspected she would sneak out, but maybe it was like every romance novel that he had read that meant that she was scared of her feelings for the man?

He shook his head. Jenny wasn't like that.

Climbing the stairs to the flat, Kakashi couldn't help but wonder what Jenny did the entire time that he was away. Did she invite men back to his place? He shuddered at the thought. He would change the sheets and disinfect everything, despite the time and effort it would take. He would take no chances.

Reaching the door after a few minor slips that even the best of ninja couldn't have avoided, Kakashi rummaged around his pockets for his keys.

What a better question to think about was, could he even trust her?

She had been suspected of being a rogue nin when she had first arrived and while Kakashi was convinced that she wasn't, it didn't mean that she wasn't lying about anything else.

For example, her family. Where were they? Kakashi knew that she knew.

And Kakashi knew that she knew that he knew.

So why was she lying?

He could tell that she was because of the nervous habit of rubbing her nose with a knuckle, or trying to pull her non-existent sleeves down her arms, but he pretended that he didn't see it.

Sighing again, Kakashi inserted the metal into the lock and twisted his way in, where he found everything dark, apart from the sliver of light that came from the door way down the hall which led to his bed room.

Untying his bandages around his lower legs, Kakashi removed his shoes by the door and silently made his way to the door and peeked through the gap.

He could just barely see Jenny, all tucked up in bed, the reading light next to her turned on as she flipped another page in a different book that he _knew_ he didn't recommend to her.

Her peacock coloured hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head and she still was wearing his t-shirt that he offered the night before, but it hung slightly more off her feminine frame, exposing her prominent collarbones that surprisingly were unscarred.

Despite popular belief, Kakashi thought the most erotic part of a woman was the collarbones. Sure, breasts and the lower places were all fine and good for a quick round of sex. The real issue Kakashi had was when the women innocently showed their unmarred collarbones.

While Sakura's were more prominent than most, hers had slight shiny littering of kunai scars and what not, which then dulled the light of her femininity.

Jenny scratched an ear lobe as she eagerly turned another page, her eyes alighting in a fervour. Kakashi smirked.

Ahh, she was on the sexy page.

From where he was standing, he couldn't discern the title of the novel but he knew that the majority of his books went from mild to extreme very quickly.

The most innocent were put in boxes in another room.

If there was no porn, then why the hell was he reading it?

Jenny gave a slight whimper and Kakashi froze as he watch Jenny's legs that were under the covers rub together, to try and create a friction that if his sources were correct (and Iruka was pretty thorough) she hadn't had sex for the past few days and was probably feeling the with drawl.

But never once in the half an hour, that Kakashi spent creepily watching her, did he see Jenny reach down to settle the ache. In fact, he would go so far to say that she was _averse_ to the idea of touching down there. In standing there for that length of time, even Kakashi realised he was being more weird than usual but he just couldn't turn his eye away. He was almost tempted to lift his eye patch to memorise every moment, in case he missed a wayward hand.

His perverse mind couldn't help but wonder if the curtains matched the carpet.

It was bad. He knew it. But it was an insatiable curiosity that overcame him and even was the thing that drew him to Sakura when he started seeing her in a more womanly light.

And just for the record, Sakura's curtains and carpet matched.

Daydreaming about _that_ was not helping the situation any.

It was then that Jenny had decided to get up and stretch before walking to the door. Kakashi was so stunned at seeing just Jenny's blue with white daisy knickers under her thin t-shirt, where he could see her nipples were poking out obviously, that he forgot that he would seem like a peeping tom.

With the haste of someone a quarter his age, he pretended that he had been lounging on the couch for an unknowable amount of time when Jenny came in yawning, heading towards the kitchen but paused in the doorway, unwittingly realising that she spied the pervert and turned her attention back to the couch where Kakashi raised a hand and said:

"Yo."

Jenny narrowed her eyes and folded her arms irritably, tapping her foot.

"And where have you been?" she arched an eyebrow, her mouth tightened in displeasure.

"Right here," Kakashi said vaguely, knowing that wasn't what she had meant.

"Obviously not since I have been waiting since _forever_ for you to come back," Jenny sighed melodramatically and flopped on top of Kakashi who gave no sign that he noticed her.

Pouting, Jenny's mouth brightened into a smile that made him suspicious and was finally brought into the idea when she began to wriggle her body on top of his.

While pretending that he didn't care, this couldn't have been further from the truth. He focused on the bare flesh probably rubbing up and down his lap and her breasts that kept inadvertently thrusting into his chest at random intervals in a strangely successful way of distracting his from his book.

If he had been paying attention to it in the first place that is.

"Come on," she whined playfully, "you can't tell me this isn't annoying you a little bit?"

Kakashi stared up at the ceiling as if contemplating her question.

"I'm getting a free, albeit moving blanket," Kakashi said smoothly, just compelling himself not to do anything stupid. "Oh and the free breasts." And there went that idea. He just hoped that she would take it as his dry humour bait.

His response just made Jenny snort derisively. Hook, line and sinker, he thought before Jenny moved herself over to the end where she picked up Kakashi's feet and began soothing rubs causing him to give out a little, embarrassing moan.

"Pervert," Jenny said teasingly, giving a particularly hard rotation on the ball of his foot, causing his toes to curl deliciously.

"Mmm and proud of it, oh a little more to the left? _Yeahhh_, that's the stuff," Kakashi allowed his hand to droop to the floor and his head to rest against the arm rest as he focussed on the feelings that he was getting from the talented fingers. "I can understand why you are good at making bread; your kneading is exemplary."

Jenny gave another snort but he could feel the smug satisfaction leaking out her body.

"Don't let it go to your head," Kakashi chastised when he found the energy to open his eyes to see Jenny had a small smile on her face.

"No, that's not what I'm thinking about, you moron," Jenny shot back, the small, sweet smile never leaving her face.

"Then a ryo for your thoughts?" Kakashi pushed himself up, taking his bare feet away from those distracting hands.

"It's just silly," Jenny said, her hand batting it away like a bothersome fly.

The smile was still there.

"Please?" he said, pouting obviously, so that she would see through the mask.

Jenny rolled her eyes before lounging backwards, her back arching over the arm rest to stretch it further. He heard a satisfying crackle as her spine cracked if there was any indication from the pleasured moan that escaped her mouth in a fleeting moment. Kakashi wanted to shift uncomfortably, but knew that Jenny would latch onto the movement.

"It's just I remember doing this for my brother, after a particularly long boxing match," Jenny shook her head self-deprecatingly. "He does this annoying thing that he continues to whine at having two cooks in the house meant that surely _one_ would be able to give massage to his poor, poor feet."

Jenny grinned again, her teeth glistening white in the dimly lit room.

"Well anyway, mum is always 'too busy making Sunday lunch' and I end up getting stuck with the job and had to endure it every Sunday and every match in between." Jenny's smile now turned sad but Kakashi had latched onto another truth, another sign that she had lied about her amnesia.

"Is he good?" Kakashi omitted from pointing this out further; he would rather her to be more vulnerable so that he wouldn't have to dig his way through all the different stories and emotions.

He preferred them raw.

Jenny nodded. "Very good. He has the best teacher in his university, he's gotten to national level but said that he wouldn't continue if it got in the way of his studies, which it hasn't but he is still planning on giving it up."

Kakashi frowned in confusion. "Why would he give it up if he was good at it?"

Jenny shrugged, rolling her shoulders back as if trying to remove a hidden tension. "I guess, dangerous for the brain? None of us really like him in the ring, his girlfriend especially, but Neil does what Neil wants."

He nodded as if this made sense. It didn't.

Why would anyone stop what they did best? Kakashi was still a ninja wasn't he?

Jenny gave a jaw popping yawn that Kakashi could hear from the other end of the couch and got up to move to the bedroom and predictably, Jenny followed him where he began to prepare for bed.

Unlike earlier, Kakashi noticed the books stacked next to Jenny's side of the bed. Kakashi lowered his brow in bewilderment, turning his gaze to Jenny who looked at him in equal confusion until she noticed the books where the realisation lit her face like a lightbulb.

"Oh, yeah, I hope you don't mind but I'm borrowing some books to read in the near future," she rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, shuffling her feet under his penetrating stare. "I just thought that since you never read any books other than Icha Icha that you wouldn't notice," Jenny continued on, albeit more defensive.

Kakashi stepped around the bed and flicked her forehead causing her to cry out.

"Jenny, it's fine," he allowed the exasperation at her antics come out.

Jenny scowled, rubbing the sore spot before turning to go lie on the bed, switching off her light sullenly, making the her side of the room go into darkness.

Kakashi continued to get changed, keeping a lazy eye on her to make sure that she wouldn't try and take a peek like she almost did that morning.

Finally changed, Kakashi flopped into his bed, switching off his own lamp, sucking the room into the darkness beyond the window shaped mark that was made by the blue hued moon.

There was a stillness as neither parties in the bed moved.

"Now that you are going out with Sakura, does that mean I have to go find a new place?" Jenny asked in a small voice, her vulnerability showing through that reminded him of that morning. He didn't know what had set her off and he didn't ask. It didn't seem right at the time, but now it felt like a delayed reaction.

Kakashi shook his head until he realised that she wouldn't be able to see him. "No, you were here first. Anyway, we're taking it slow. Slow does not count night caps," Kakashi lied easily. There was no point in mentioning that a couple of night caps had already occurred in the unwashed sheets they were laying in.

No need to alarm her.

Jenny shuffled until she was facing Kakashi. "You sure?"

"Go to sleep, firefly."

He could feel her grin from his side of the bed.

"Does this mean that we are BFFLs now? Should we braid each other's hair? Share secrets? Sex tips?" Jenny harassed good naturedly, the dusk light cutting across the bed through the window so he saw a forearm tucking under her pillow as she looked at his shadowy form.

"I don't even want to know what BFFLs are," Kakashi drawled. "Although, I wouldn't mind getting your thoughts on this complicated sex position in Icha Icha," Kakashi feigned getting comfortable to start long discussions, much alike teenage girls. "Now, bear with me, it was the latest Icha Icha so I probably haven't read it through as much as I would have liked and I'm a bit confused on how to make it comfortable for the woman-"

He was cut off by a particularly violent pillow thrust in his face forcing him to roll on his back and hear a disgusted noise.

"Just go to sleep Kakashi, I'm sure you can test them out on your girlfriend," Jenny quipped as she rolled over onto her other side with a melodramatic huff.

"Now there's an idea," Kakashi retorted, still lying on his back.

But lying on his back didn't stop him from wishing he could say that she could try the position on his other friends.

Maybe that was over the line. Sounded a tad too bitter.

"Good night," Jenny whispered from the other side of the bed.

Kakashi grunted his goodnight before he moved himself onto his other side, his back facing the blue haired girl, his mind wandering before he finally fell into the calming arms of sleep.


	10. Back To Normal

Back to Normal

"**Does this mean that we are BFFLs now? Should we braid each other's hair or something? Share secrets? Sex tips?" Jenny harassed good naturedly, the dusk light cutting across so he saw a forearm tucking under her pillow as she looked at his shadowy form. **

"**I don't even want to know what BFFLs are," Kakashi drawled. "Although, I wouldn't mind getting your thoughts on this complicated sex position in Icha Icha," Kakashi feigned getting comfortable to start long discussions, much alike teenage girls. "Now, bear with me, it was the latest Icha Icha so I probably haven't read it through as much as I would have liked and I'm a bit confused on how to make it comfortable for the woman-"**

**He was cut off by a particularly violent pillow thrust in his face forcing him to roll on his back and hear a disgusted noise. **

"**Just go to sleep Kakashi, I'm sure you can test them out on your girlfriend," Jenny quipped as she rolled over onto her other side with a melodramatic huff. **

"**Now there's an idea," Kakashi retorted, still lying on his back. **

**But lying on his back didn't stop him from wishing he could say that she could try the position on his other friends. **

**Maybe that was over the line. Sounded a tad too bitter.**

"**Good night," Jenny whispered from the other side of the bed. **

**Kakashi grunted his goodnight before he moved himself onto his other side, his back facing the blue haired girl, his mind wandering before he finally fell into the calming arms of sleep.**

…o0o…

There was a clunking and a crash and my danger radar went into overdrive as I sat up quickly, my eyes scouring the room for the enemy.

But seeing a bare, muscled back that was rolling so as to get comfortable, I realised that Kakashi had already neutralised the threat. Gingerly, I leaned down to the floor from the safety of my bed and picked up the broken alarm clock between a thumb and forefinger. I turned my incredulous gaze to Kakashi.

As if he could feel my judgement, Kakashi grunted as he turned over onto his side and examined me from under a droopy eyelid, his face defensive under, what I dubbed, the sleep mask.

"It was being too loud," he said, his voice husky with sleep as he shrugged, forcing my eyes to unconsciously examine and appreciate the broad shoulders.

Rolling my eyes at his poor excuse, I focussed on what really was important and turned to the next enemy: the cold floor.

Clenching my eyes tight shut, I determined the best course of action would be doing it quickly rather than slowly. Like tearing off a plaster. I folded the duvet off my legs with trepidation, like a soldier in the D-Day landings. I knew it was going to be bad as I inched my foot closer to the floor and I felt it when my skin made contact.

Hissing a little under my breath, I quickly hopped over the floor to the blissfully carpeted hallway leading to the again cold floored bathroom.

Leaning around the door frame of the bathroom, in another attempt to avoid the floor which I would have succeeded if Kakashi hadn't been sneaking up behind me and gave my unstable body a little nudge, forcing me to allow the soles of my feet meet the white, malicious tiles.

I squealed in horror and glared over my shoulder, at the deliciously mussed hair of his which was made all the more tantalising with Kakashi's wayward hand, I sucked in a breath that I tried to blame on my annoyance at the pervert.

But with the view of his bare chest, led me to feel slightly light headed and I quickly turned my back on him, as I walked slightly more flat footed now that my soles had adjusted to the change in temperature. Switching the knob of the shower on, I crossed my hands over my hips, grabbing opposite sides of my (Kakashi's) t-shirt, and whipped it up and over my blue haired head before chucking it over my shoulder to let it land where it may.

Checking over my shoulder, I saw that Kakashi was studiously looking at himself in the mirror.

I snorted with amusement, which caught Kakashi's attention who, with the aid of the reflection of the mirror looked up my spine slowly, and I could just imagine his lips curving, but in actuality looked as blank as new piece of paper.

I wanted to roll my eyes at myself. He would never find me attractive.

With no preliminaries, I turned and pushed the elastic of my girl black briefs down over my hips until they hit the floor with no sound.

I walked into the shower, turning my face away from his so he wouldn't see the flush covering the apples of my cheeks. I held my forearm across my chest so he wouldn't catch an unwitting flash of flared flesh as stepped into the shower and waited for the water to heat in the sanctuary of a curtain between us.

Over the rattle of the water hitting the shower floor, I heard cupboards opening and closing and finally a sigh.

"What's wrong now?" I asked, lathering my hair with shampoo and rinsing in the wonderfully hot water.

"There's no bar soap," was the grumbled reply that I got and reaching over to the shower shelf, I picked up the tea tree and spearmint and reaching around the curtain, I poked my head out to look at Kakashi, rinsing his hands.

"Head's up," I said before flinging with all my might, trying to lay at least one hit on his person with the soap which, unfortunately with a smooth action from Kakashi, he caught it with precision.

No words of thanks, as Kakashi rotated back to rub the soap in between the lines of his palms and it wasn't until I met his gaze in the mirror and raised eyebrow that I remembered I still had my head sticking out of the cubicle with some remaining suds clinging desperately to my scalp.

Averting my eyes to hide the fact I was embarrassed, I ducked back into the shower and continued through the motions albeit more slowly so I didn't have to meet his penetrating watchful eyes when I stepped out later.

"Don't use all the hot water," I heard Kakashi's chastising tone just outside the curtain.

"Well, I'll make you some breakfast before I leave if you want?" I offered, ignoring his demand.

There was a huffing of an incredulous breath and I heard a mutter:

"Considering your alarm went off at an ungodly hour, I would expect so."

It didn't surprise me that he was a poor morning person considering how late he was to everything else.

"Don't need to sound so catty," I mumbled back, "is it that time of the month for you Kakashi?"

There was a thump that smacked the shower curtain, forcing it to cave slightly at the force of the throw.

Poking my head out tentatively, I looked down to the floor to see the green bar of soap that I had passed to Kakashi earlier, rocking slightly. Looking back up to the culprit I glared.

"Can't take a joke?" I asked teasingly when all I got was a grunt, I finished under my breath: "Definitely on your period."

"I heard that," Kakashi growled warningly.

Opting to say nothing at all, turning the water off while wringing my hair out, I stuck my head around the curtain to see Kakashi was still shirtless and a frothy toothbrush in one hand, the remnants slightly obvious on the edge of his mask, looking like he had a patchy stark white beard. A sign that he had hurriedly covered his face when he heard me moving around to get out.

I giggled but gestured for him to pass me one of the towels dangling on the radiator next to him. "You should put a shirt on," I advised, my eyes shrewd until I finally saw him roll his eye and go to the other radiator to retrieve a t-shirt. The other radiator that had to be cut next to the shower.

Holding the shower curtain close to my body, to keep my dignity and using the other to reach towards Kakashi who had offered the towel to me to wrap the towel around my front. I tried not to make any contact with Kakashi in the cramped space he gave me as he began to put on a shirt. I took one step from the shower-

-Right onto the bar soap that had been previously used for a missile from Kakashi.

With a squawk, my arms wind milled as I tried to keep my balance, unfortunately, one slapped Kakashi right in the face causing him to grunt and recoil a step, his arms were still tangled in the shirt around his elbows.

The step that he took was lost as I finally gave into gravity (yes you win good sir) and fell onto him, my towel that I was using, flopping lifelessly to the floor beside us with an ominous wooomf.

There was a silence.

Not our casual silence. Not our 'ha ha we can laugh off this unfortunate incidence and call it a day'. No, this was…

A painful silence.

My naked, _naked_ body was lying connected to every part of Kakashi's bared skin. And that _included_ chest.

I could feel his nipples pressing into my skin and I could only imagine how Kakashi was feeling right now. Awkward? Surprised? Aroused?

I mentally slapped myself for thinking so lewdly. He had a _girlfriend_. It wasn't like he was going to forget about her anytime soon. He was attracted to her, not me. So stop your lollygagging and get the _fuck_ off him Jennifer Webbs!

With another squeak, I cupped my chest as soon as I pushed myself off of him, frantically grabbing the towel without once looking away from Kakashi, to ascertain that he wasn't sneaking a couple of glances.

Sure, that was the reason.

In all honesty, I wanted to see what his reaction was to this occasion. Did he feel the difference too? Or was this just me reading too much into things again?

But no, I saw the slight blush of his ears that would hardly have been noticeable under his hair, but as it was, his hair had flopped to the bathroom floor actually falling with gravity for once so I could see his almost elven like ears that were going a feverish shade of red.

Kakashi's eye though, was straight on my face too, reading the emotions that surely would be scrolling through like a TV screen.

"Uh, I uh," I frantically looked everywhere other than at him, now that I knew Kakashi was reading me as hard as I was reading him, I didn't want to look at his face or any part of his nude torso.

No matter how much I wanted to run my tongue over the planes while his hand grabbed-

I really needed to get out more.

Taking a deep breath, I forced a laugh, trying to play it so awkwardly casual. "Well, I'll go start cooking, shall I?"

Kakashi didn't answer. His eye just bore into me, questioning what I was doing, pretending like I hadn't been drooling over him, while my naked body pressed against him.

But could I help it being presented with so much deliciousness?

Blushing, I quickly tried to walk to the bedroom without looking like I was running away, but failed as I began jogging through the open doorway.

I smacked myself in the forehead, multiple times. I couldn't believe myself. I was a horrible human being.

While I may not like Sakura, it still wasn't right to be acting the way I was around Kakashi.

But was it bad if Kakashi didn't show any sign of reciprocating my feelings, the past occasion not withstanding?

NO! I slapped myself again, a harder hit.

Slipping open a drawer, I rummaged through for a pair of my comfy knickers and my joggers and baggy t-shirt for the comfort. I combed my wet hair into a less tangled mess and towelled it dry just contemplating what I could make for dinner.

Maybe another stir fry? Prawn fried bread? Oooo maybe something with seafood?

"Hey Kakashi?" I called through the door where I heard him moving in the kitchen, the rush of water sounding like he was washing the crockery and the tell-tale clinks as they were set on the side to dry.

"Hmmm?"

"What would you like for dinner?" I asked, walking through the corridor turning to the left into the dimly lit kitchen in the early morning. "I'm thinking seafood?"

Kakashi turned to me, and while his face was hidden by the mask, I still saw the critical movement of his nose, signalling his distaste towards seafood.

"Are we sharks?"

I frowned.

"Sorry, what?" What kind of a question is that?

"Are we sharks?" Kakashi repeated, his head still turned towards me as he continued to clean the plate in his hand.

"No?" I answered, more unsure of the answer that should it be referred to as a question.

"Then we have no need to eat fish," he concluded with a satisfied atmosphere that I could feel the smugness radiating from his form triggering me to a level of irritation.

"Not even eels? Prawns? You are telling me no prawn fried bread?" I asked, my hands on my hips. The role of possible couple going out of the window in the need to change into the role of a mother scolding her child from avoiding eating healthy food. Not that prawn fried bread falls under that category. But still.

Kakashi waited, looked up and the ceiling and through his mask I saw his mouth open a close a couple of times.

"Prawns I can deal with," he acquiesced.

Rolling my eyes I turned to a cupboard to get out the frying pan.

"Full fry up sound good to you?" I asked, not actually caring for the answer, still slightly annoyed with his childish attitude.

"I think you are spoiling me too much. Soon I'm going to need a bento for the missions as I won't be able to eat the ration packs." Kakashi said blithely next to me where he was leaning on the adjacent counter.

"You've said that before and I'm sure you were fine," I turned my face away, allowing my hair to screen it from the pervert's gaze as I fluttered my eyes flustered.

"Put these in the toaster would you?" I said gruffly, not once looking up at his face, passing the four pieces of white bread to the lazy man. I knew once I did, the crimson would never leave my face again.

Kakashi huffed as if it was the hardest thing to do but ended up doing it anyway as he put them in with a lazy grace.

"How many rashers of bacon do you want? What about eggs? Sausages?" I asked never turning my focused gaze from pouring oil in the pan, and opening the nearby fridge to gain my supplies to be fried.

"I'm feeling…" Kakashi hmmed as he decided, stepping closer to me than what I felt necessary after the mishap that had occurred that morning as he perused the options. "Double of everything you're having."

Slowly I turned my stare to him disbelieving. "You're not serious are you?"

He gave me that familiar eye crinkle and a knot that I didn't know that I had in my stomach loosened and went away as I felt the positive energy coming from him.

He ruffled my hair, the contact sending my system into a spaz.

"Finally you look at me," he ribbed, his eye holding the amusement of a child. "Here I was thinking you were going to avoid looking at me ever again."

He tousled my hair one more time.

I batted it away, now in annoyance that barely covered up my embarrassment at having been caught out by him.

"Okay, okay, you had your fun," I groused. "Now what would you like for breakfast?"

"Two eggs, four rashers of bacon, three sausages, at least one ladle of baked beans, two hash browns and if we have it, a couple slices of black pudding, if you please," Kakashi rattled off his order to me at such a fast pace that I barely had time to register the toast popping up shockingly behind him. "Oh and two pieces of fried bread please."

I gaped at him until I heard a slightly burning smell and I quickly averted my attention from him, more worried about food than anything else. I needed to keep up my reputation of being a good cook, you know.

I smiled to myself as I thought about when I won a competition for the first time for my baked goods. How little Neil, barely four years old, had tottered after me as he came with me to examine all the different competitors.

How Susie followed me too albeit more sullen as she wasn't into the cooking side of things. Although she couldn't be blamed as she had recently come second in the art competition in the next tent over, leaving her feeling a little demoralised.

I giggled to myself just thinking of all the village festivals around the farm that used to happen.

Kakashi looked up from his book that I hadn't noticed him whip out and nudged me in the side to get my attention.

"What?" such a simple question, yet it was something I couldn't answer him. He already knew I was lying about some things but I didn't want him to think our entire friendship was just a means to an end.

"Oh!" I pretended to gasp. "I think I remembered something!"

Secretly, I cringed at the falseness of my tone and wished for my A* in Drama GCSE to finally kick in as Kakashi looked over at me dubiously, his ninja senses were probably reaching out to him to inform him that I had just indeed, lied.

At the remembrance that he was in fact a ninja, someone who was trained in the art of _lying_, I quickly turned from him to ensure that the bacon and sausages and pudding would have my full attention.

"Well? What was it?" Kakashi probed, the earlier suspicion gone as he asked, his finger mimicking his tone into my ribs.

I squirmed to get away from him, my hands never leaving their tight grip of the pan and the fish slice. "Careful!"

"Well, tell me," Kakashi whined, his elbows propped on the counter next to me as he turned, his face fitted adorably into cupped hands as he peered endearingly up at me.

I puffed some air out of my mouth, causing the hairs framing my face to fan upwards in an attempt at the Mexican wave.

"Fine! I thought I remembered when I first got into baking. I was with my family, I think, and we were walking around these tents and walking in I saw that my name was there first prize for every single one. There was a," I failed to restrain the little nostalgic smile that popped to my face at the thought of little Nathaniel. "little toddler, my brother, possibly, and he was clinging to my leg like a monkey to its mother. It was a little smokey around the edges and I thought to myself that I couldn't be…" I broke off, trying to beat down the lump in my throat.

I was going to finish with: I couldn't be happier.

Which was oh, so true. I felt the pain of the waterworks about to come on again, so I rapidly tried to remain focused on the meal again.

Could I try and be happy after Susie died? Was I allowed to move on from her death? After she gave her life to let mine be saved?

What would she even think of Kakashi?

I almost wanted to sob at her most likely sardonic tone.

"Yeah, nothing says romance like a guy in it to steal your knickers," she would give an eye roll on the mirror of my face before snorting as she turned back to the latest edition of Kerrang!

I continued to focus on the spitting oil pan.

Thankfully, Kakashi seemed to realised this was a sore spot and ignored my reaction.

"How much longer?" he asked after the comfortable silence had set in again, me watching the meat sizzle while Kakashi imagined the flare in the romance in his novel.

"'Bout five more minutes, if you want to go set the table," I ordered rather than requested.

"Yes, mother," Kakashi grumbled as he reluctantly slumped his way over to the mismatched table and chairs as he began to clean up the night before's devastation that Kakashi didn't get around to cleaning earlier.

It was strange, my reaction to the two words. One, I was happy that we could go on to joking like usual, in fact I welcomed that he called me something in the platonic sense that I could almost forget that shower indiscretion.

But on the other hand, I hated it. I mean, did I really not have that much sex appeal, other than when I am naked? I mean, really?

A touch below the belt, I would say.

Finishing everything off, I turned to bring the frying pan over to the table where I continued to serve up Kakashi's frankly worrying breakfast and delivered my smaller portion while I was there.

Placing the frying pan in the sink for later, I unseeingly, looked to the clock, and I shrieked.

I ran to the table, bolting down all my food which couldn't be healthy and I raced to the bed room to pick up my uniform that I would change into at the café.

"There are left overs in the fridge if you want anything for lunch and I'll have to do another food run soon so maybe put a list on what you want on the table. I'll do that later." I called through the kitchen doorway hurriedly as I rinsed out my mouth with water to begin to brush my teeth. Shoving my toothpaste laden brush into my mouth I began to briskly rub my teeth. "Oh can you also put your dirty laundry by the washing machine, I'll also do that later!" I shouted around my frothy mouthful. I spat into the sink, brushing the foam from the corners of my mouth hurriedly, I turned to my makeup bag to apply the bare minimum.

"What was that?" the voice right in the bathroom doorway asked, causing me to jump and my eyeliner to squiggle down my face.

"Jesus Kakashi!" I scolded, picking up a makeup wipe to clean the black monstrosity from my face with a growl. "All I said was put your dirty laundry by the washing machine and I'll do it later!"

When the normal steady hand kept dodging the eye lid in my rush, I threw it down in impatience, into my bag as I turned to just adding it when I had the first batches of confectionary going.

"Who's Jesus?"

"Fuck it," I groaned as I pushed passed the unmoving grey haired man, turning left to go to the door where my trainers were. It was going to be another late day.

Shoving my feet in with all the grace of a sloth, I held onto the door behind me for support as I tried to rush further. I was almost out of the door before I realised I still needed my keys _and_ my uniform!

I gave a muffled screech of frustration and was about to run back when there were two hands sticking out, one with my uniform, the other with my key.

Giving a grateful smile to the much abused pervert, I leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek as I rushed out.

Not even seeing the stunned look as Kakashi brought a hand up to his cheek.

…o0o…

Why would she do that? Kakashi thought to himself as he saw the door shut in his face in the early morning light.

What was her ulterior motive? Was there even one? Kakashi mused as he turned back to the kitchen to eat in peace, tugging his sleep mask off.

He breathed a sigh of relief. It was nice, once in a while to get the fabric off his face.

If people weren't so inquisitive about it, he wouldn't wear one at all. In fact, the whole wearing the mask thing was more of a matter of principle. If that nameless face when he was younger hadn't challenged him that he couldn't keep the mask on all the time, well… the entirety of Konoha would know what he looked like.

While that shinobi had probably been and gone by this point, it was another form of remembrance to him since he didn't know his name and couldn't run his finger over his name on the memorial stone.

Sliding into his chair and picking up his knife and fork again, he began to eat his meal, albeit in a slower pace than his roommate, he thought with a chuckle. But then another foe came through.

There was a quiet, Kakashi noticed.

When he lived alone, he didn't have this problem. When he was alone, his flat was his sanctuary away from people unless he decided to entertain guests of the sexual sort. Where the peace was what he craved, was what he needed after a mission filled with adrenaline and screams of pain and horror.

It was silent and that was what bothered him.

He wouldn't change jobs for the world, for he knew that if he didn't do it, someone else would. One with families left to grieve. Mothers and fathers; brothers and sisters; children and lovers. Wasted.

All mourning the loss of a life that had much more left to give if he had stayed in the family bakers, if she had decided to continue to work in the café, none of this would have happened.

Now though, Kakashi had actually someone to have at his sanctuary like a monk maintaining the temple. But he couldn't decide if it was a welcome addition or not. It wasn't like he disliked Jenny's company, on the contrary, he found her delightful, with her cooking and her perverted side especially.

But he just didn't expect the woman he would be coming home to was a woman of questionable alibies and not his girlfriend at that point in time. Greeted with peacock plume hair rather than candy floss.

A complete contradiction.

Finishing the meal with a smack of his lips, Kakashi pondered at the ceiling.

He should have probably gone to see Sakura last night to say he was back from the mission, but it slipped his mind as soon as he was greeted by the blue whirlwind that was Jenny. Everything to do with the pink haired kunoichi completely slipped his mind as he was overwhelmed with Jenny's exuberance. Eating the mouth-watering food created by passion, by everything his roommate could offer.

He supposed that he could go find Sakura later, because for now, there was an empty bed that had his name on it. Literally.

He didn't want people stealing the bed sheets.

…o0o…

Even when I was extremely late to work, I still managed to get the first batch done and then some _and_ get my make-up performed to its usual standards. It was a lot of multi-tasking, but I believed I achieved the best.

In fact, Ino was so happy with the quality of the baked goods that she allowed me to go onto the floor to serve the customers, however I was still limited to working as a barista.

The crunch and grind of coffee beans and their aroma… _heavenly_. The diffusion of my baked goods sent the men who occupied the room drooling, their eyes hungrily tracing the forms of Ino and I, itching to see which of us would bring out the next tray of confectionary.

When they finally figured out that I was the one that baked the tastiness…that was when the compliments and dates started to arrive.

The first time I coquettishly batted my eye lashes and promised the vague idea that I would go out with him if he bought some more of the display or pull in more customers. He then proceeded to buy two cakes and half of the batch of cookies as he darted out the door, laden with his sales.

I saw him convincing women (I noticed) and tried to turn the men away until the other males determinedly tried to get a taste of the food and when he didn't, they stormed in and halted in the door when they saw Ino and I, in our scandalous maid outfits greeting them with a sickening sweet "Welcome, master."

I never saw so much money being made.

But all that was said and done, that day I wanted Kakashi to come in, with an appreciative sniff and perch himself on the stool in front of the counter.

"What does a man have to do to get some food here?" that dark chocolate voice asked innocently behind me.

Startled, I almost spilt hot coffee on my arm. Thinking that my hallucination had become real, I turned around, fearing that it was true, instead, I saw him slouched in the chair, his book in the air in front of his face.

"What have I told you about sneaking up on people?" I scolded, dabbing at the coffee which had managed to get on the skin of my chest, which let me tell you, hurt like a bitch.

He gave me an eye crinkle as a response. "You have never criticised me on any such matter."

I rolled my eyes and told him to wait a second as I served the customers behind him.

Bringing a tray of coffee and confectionary I turned to the table of salivating men.

"One ginseng and lemon, two earl greys, one peppermint and who here is guilty of the latte in this weather?" I asked teasingly and the shy guy hiding in possibly the only dark corner of the brightly lit café, held up his hand half-heartedly while his friends jeered good naturedly.

I beamed as I looked him over. Obviously was around my age, but I could deal with that minor setback in terms of him not being older than me.

Rocking the shy and silent type, black flopping hair and square glasses, a white shirt and black tie in a loosened knot around his neck, suggested he had recently come back from work, maybe was taking a break?

The fact that the latte was a coffee meant late nights. No one wanted coffee in the midday sun. Likewise, I deduced this because his coffee was in a to-go cup. Probably had to leave to get some work done.

Placing the drink in front of him, I nervously tucked a non-existent strand of hair behind my ear and pretended to look shyly up at him.

Seeing what he thought was nervousness, the man was reassured and gave me a smile with a small 'thank you'.

"If any of you need anything else just call me over," I pretended to have to force a smile because of how nervous I was.

I also made sure I made eye contact with the shy man and linger my gaze a mite of a second too long before turning and walking away to Kakashi again.

Grabbing a rag from the drawer under the coffee machine, I began to wipe down the surface that was cluttered with stray tea leaves.

"So what was that about?" I heard Kakashi ask behind me.

I looked over my shoulder and gave him an innocent look.

"But whatever do you mean?" I asked, pouting, trying to look as adorable as possible.

Kakashi just gave me a look over the lip of his orange porn book that had no need for words as the message was clear: _don't-pretend-that-we-both-know-that-you-just-pretended-to-be-shy-to-get-with-that-guy-over-there-who-just-ordered-the-latte_.

It was that kind of look.

He had very, very detailed looks.

I huffed as I rolled my eyes. "Come on Kakashi, it's not like-"

"THERE YOU ARE!" a girlish screech came from the door.

I looked over his shoulder and blanched as I realised who it was.

"YOU HAVE BEEN BACK AN ENTIRE DAY AND YOU DIDN'T COME AND SEE ME?!"

I winced and there were a couple of oooo's from the audience and giving a look at Kakashi, I quickly ducked into the kitchen.

"YET YOU COME AND SEE _HER_?"

I grabbed the nearest clean bowl as I began to make a cheese cake for the next day, trying to ignore the loud voice of Sakura in the other room. I could barely discern the answer from Kakashi which was little more than a couple of mumbles.

"I DON'T CARE IF-MMMFHHG!" Sakura's shrieking voice was suddenly cut off and from the crowd that was probably watching, I heard 'awwhhhh'.

Curious, I stepped out from my haven and halted at the scene.

There Kakashi was, in the middle of the room, his hands cupping Sakura's face as he lay a big cloth covered kiss on her mouth.

My mouth dropped open.

Kakashi? Giving PDA? Holy shit!

That shit just. Doesn't. Happen.

If he was going to tell me some bullshit story later on how it was the only way out of the situation, I was going to throw something.

The violent emotion got caught in my throat and I clasped it in confusion.

I wasn't exactly happy with this development, yet I wasn't exactly _angry_ either. It was really weird.

As they left the shop, no word of goodbye from either of them, I stood there dumbly before I turned myself to try and regain my calmness in the kitchen.

…o0o…

I yawned as I finally fell through the door of the flat, lugging my uniform and my bag in with me.

I don't know why I expected it but to find that the pervert wasn't waiting for me like I thought was disheartening as I finally plopped down on the broken sofa.

"Kakashi?" I called, just to make sure that I couldn't hear his normal shufflings around the flat. But then again, I thought, he _is_ a ninja, so I probably wouldn't hear him, especially if he didn't want me to.

Heeling off my trainers, I massaged the balls of my feet where my mind wandered to another time Kakashi did this for me. I sighed.

This was just pitiful.

I resolved myself to do something useful by the time Kakashi came home, I heaved myself back up to go to the washing machine where, surprisingly, Kakashi had bundled up all his dirty laundry and what I assume, attempted to put them in whites and colours.

'Attempted' being the operative word.

Chuckling to myself, I began to re-sort the pile and after that was done, I then brought my pile of clothes in.

Seeing the differences in sizes, I felt the now familiar anger at Sakura coming fresh to my mind, seeing that none of my clothes were as nice as the first lot I had bought.

Although I couldn't hold to this grudge for long, it appeared this was one of my records for ever being angry at someone.

I rubbed my forehead tiredly.

All I wanted to do right then was go to bed and sleep but I still needed to make Kakashi some kind of dinner for later, something he can reheat. That was if I could be bothered.

After finishing loading the washing machine, I pushed my legs under me as I staggered to the kitchen where I saw all the washing up had been done and then a paper filled with all the food I needed to buy.

Looking at it, my mouth tightened in distaste. Clearly Kakashi wasn't thinking straight enough to actually have me make anything nice.

Resolving myself to making a sandwich for dinner, knowing all the while I was too lazy but I made Kakashi one too to try and rectify the situation. The tomato chutney, cheese and lettuce kind of sandwich on soft white bread.

Mmmm, just thinking about it was giving me food envy. So with the speed of being a baker at Ino's cosplay café, I sliced, diced and lay out my ingredients until finally I had made my dinner and wrapped Kakashi's in cling film to be placed in his almost empty fridge.

Going into the living room and avoiding the different paraphernalia of being both a ninja and a reader, I placed my plate on the low table as I went to my bag by the door for my book that Kakashi had recently lent me and settled down to wait for when Kakashi finally came home.

…o0o…

Kakashi lifted Sakura's shirt in a frenzy to get closer to her skin and finally when her breasts popped free, he lowered his head and began to suckle. Running his tongue over and under her nipples being sure to give promising bites every now and then, causing Sakura to gasp and haul his head closer to her heaving cleavage.

Sliding the hands that were resting innocently on her hips, Kakashi allowed one to slide up next to where his head was residing while the other reached down to Sakura's thigh where he hoisted it suddenly high on his hip, resulting in Sakura and him to lose balance.

Right on to Sakura's bed.

Kakashi groaned, when he felt the soft breasts jiggle in his face and couldn't hold back the need to bury himself in the soft bed that was Sakura's chest.

Sakura whined and lifted her pelvis in a not so subtle plea, which was also aided in Sakura's hands sliding up and under his shirt, reaching for his chest pectorals.

Kakashi held in the gasp that was threatening in the back of his throat and felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

When did this happen?

His left hand that had been roughly massaging Sakura's breast started to slow, even triggering Sakura to writhe even more.

The wriggles then sparked a sense of knowing from the grey haired man. It was almost like Jenny that very morning where she fell straight on top of him, her chest had given him a tinsy feel of what they'd be like on his face.

Other than her chest being marred by the star shape scar just above her right breast, the skin of her breasts were flawless as was shown that very morning.

Kakashi shook his head to remove the image, unconsciously motor boating Sakura's chest causing her to giggle in delight.

He needed to stop thinking about Jenny whenever he was having sex with Sakura. It was just plain rude.

But what would Jenny do if he…?

Sakura wriggled again as Kakashi moved down to lap in her belly button. He expected Jenny would arch into his mouth, hooking her legs over his shoulders in a desperation for his touch...

Kakashi gave himself a mental slap. Stop thinking about Jenny!

"Kakashi?" Sakura asked hesitantly, soft hands cradled his face.

His head snapped up, looking at her inquisitively.

Her face was flushed from their foreplay and her chest was heaving from exertion.

"You, okay?" she asked.

Kakashi cocked his head to the side inquisitively.

"You kind of just… stopped is all," Sakura finished lamely.

With a start, Kakashi realised that he _had_ stopped in his attempt to shake the blue haired girl out of his head, he determinedly met the green eyed stare with his own and resolved to not think about the person-who-shall-not-be-named for a blissful, orgasmic filled half an hour.

…o0o…

It was late.

I knew it was late.

Hell, even the clock was telling me it was late, its red numbers blaring out at me accusingly, telling me to go to bed, I had work in four hours.

One eye was on the door, the other barely reading the page in front of me, just waiting for the handle of the front door to pull down in a sneer as it would let its resident in.

But blearily I stayed up past eleven.

Twelve.

One.

But the last thing I remembered was my head falling tiredly on the sofa's cushion, despite the hole in the body and wishing that he would just come through that door, an eye crinkle on his masked face.

…o0o…

About third of the way through!


	11. Take That!

Take That!

**One eye was on the door, the other barely reading the page in front of me, just waiting for the handle of the front door to pull down in a sneer as it would let its resident in. **

**But blearily I stayed up past eleven. **

**Twelve. **

**One. **

**But the last thing I remembered was my head falling tiredly on the sofa's cushion, despite the hole in the body and wishing that he would just come through that door, an eye crinkle on his masked face.**

…o0o…

When I felt a hand on my shoulder shaking my body awake, the first thought was centred around the excruciating pain in my neck where I was informed that I had trapped a nerve.

"Fuckity fuck fuck," I groaned, as I slowly sat up, trying not to jostle it too much, massaging the point with my fingers, to try and relieve the tension, as I looked crustily to whatever had woken me up.

There in front of me, was the dickhead I had waited for the entirety of last night.

I scowled and got up and moved towards the kitchen to get a cup of tea to wake me up; I probably had work in an hour.

Rattling around different jars, I lazily tried to find the tea bags with tired, flopping hands until a gloved one beat me to the final jar and passed it to me. I took it sullenly, refusing to talk until he did. I could not _believe_ him.

Placing it in a mug, my hand struggled to reach for the handle of the cupboard that only had been recently closed but again was saved the effort from the same big, black clad hand who gently took the jar out of my hand to put it back in its respective space.

I turned my face away, not saying anything, determined to focus on anything other than Kakashi while I waited for the kettle to boil.

A minute passed. Two.

And the kettle wasn't making its usual sounds and I looked at the button to turn it on. It was on.

Then I looked in dread to the one on the socket.

It was off.

With a huff of frustration I flipped the switch, then after a couple of seconds the kettle began to awaken.

Satisfied, I pivoted to the fridge to peruse the contents, perfectly happy with ignoring Kakashi. Finding the sandwich still resting out on its plate, lonely in its segregation from the uncooked ingredients, making it obvious who it was intended for.

Instead, peeling off the cling film, I began to dig in to my breakfast, never once looking at Kakashi.

I heard the switch flip as the kettle signalled it was finished and I pushed my jelly legs under me as I forced myself to brush right past the black eyed gaze in front of me, and pour the boiling water into the mug, not once offering the man beside me a cup of tea either.

"Obviously since you are mad at me for some unknown reason, I think it would be best to offer you a peace offering. You are late for work," Kakashi said casually, as it heeled his shoes off, exposing his toes to the cold tile.

With horror, my head snapped to the clock, making me wince at the trapped nerve in my neck and with a shriek I realised he was right.

Abandoning half of the remaining sandwich, I almost opened my mouth to say that there were ingredients to make the same sandwich again, but I decided that I was still angry with him.

Although, when I thought about it, what did _I_ have to be angry about? I wasn't his mother.

So why did I care?

He had left a note the other time, so why not this time?

But instead of explaining myself I just sprinted out of the house with my bag and uniform slung over my shoulder and ran all the way to the shop where I stormed in much to the surprise of Ino whose head just snapped up in surprise.

"Sorry… I'm… late," I gasped, clutching my heaving ribs where a stich was residing, using the wall beside me to support my body.

Ino looked up, startled, a rabbit in the headlights.

"Oh, didn't I tell you? You didn't have to be at work today, this was your day off," Ino replied cheerfully, before turning back to what she was doing before I had barged in.

It never really occurred to me that I would get break days because I was so focussed on not noticing the absence in the flat, but this…

This was abhorrent in the fact she didn't tell me!

"So why did you not tell me when my break days were?!" I demanded, outraged that I would've been cheated out of my relaxation days.

Ino just _shrugged_.

"You never asked," Ino said casually, going to walk into the back room, but I darted in front of her, to demand extra attention.

"Well, I'm asking now!" I threw my hands into the air, my head falling back in exasperation.

"You have Mondays and Fridays off," Ino replied, bored.

Her elbow was perched on the coffee counter as she rested her chin on her palm, looking at me like _I_ was the one being unreasonable.

"So who bakes for you then?" I asked, my hands on my hips, determined to get the full picture before I make any rash decisions such as punching my boss in the face for not telling me the important things.

"Kin," Ino continued, her eyes began to peruse her cuticles with a critical eye.

Suddenly, I slammed my hands onto the counter in front of Ino, forcing her to pay attention to me, despite I didn't get a reaction from her.

"So you are telling me, I didn't need to wake up at _five fucking thirty every single morning_ because you already had a baker who works for you," I asked coolly, but was very sure that my anger came through the neutral pitch. "But when you asked for my help, you didn't _for one second_ think to call _Kin?!_"

Ino's cheek looked smushed where she rested it, disinterested, on her fist.

"She's a sweet old lady, why would I put her through the stress?"

I smacked both of my hands into my face, losing the will to live.

I had just run myself into the ground thinking that she wouldn't be able to survive without me, but in actual fact she already had someone else on her pay roll.

Then it hit me.

"Wait, I have been working my day offs, so why didn't I see Kin?" I questioned suspiciously, stalking around the counter where Ino began to back up slowly.

"Well, I thought since you were such a hard worker, you wouldn't mind covering her shifts since you seemed to _love_ baking," Ino replied slowly, just as slowly as she was realising my murderous intent towards her.

"But wasn't it convenient that you didn't tell me that there was another worker when you came so _desperately_ to my flat to scout out my help and left me to work thirteen hour days with only an hour break in between shifts?" I pretended to think about it. "It seems like you pay this 'Kin' more than me because she is wise enough not to get swindled by you and so you thought to take advantage of the almost free labour." I finished with a low snarl. "Now I think, before I contact my union which will be someone in this fucking town, you better raise my pay and give me one extra freaking hour of lunch break and maybe, just maybe, I'll continue baking for you."

Ino folded her arms over her ample breasts with a smirk.

"What makes you think I'll agree? There are plenty of people looking for work and you're not the only baker out there," Ino said with a shit eating grin.

My mouth mimicking Ino's I adopted the same stance.

"Who are you trying to fool? You said so yourself ages ago, no one is looking for work with the wages you're paying and again _you_ were the one who begged _me_ to come back because my baking was the one that brought the most customers that you have had in a while." I finished smugly.

Ino bristled at the challenge.

"I'll just offer more wages," she stuck her nose in the air.

"Why pay more for someone with less baking talent than I have rather than pay me the exact same and get the same quality that you are paying for? The last bitch, you were paying her what she was making you, and that was shit food." I flipped a blue ponytail behind my shoulder. "Now will you stop being stubborn and give me a _decent_ pay and _decent_ working hours so that I can give you free labour today as a sign of willingness to deal with this," I gestured to all of her body.

There was a tense moment of quiet as we both eyed the other up and down.

Finally, Ino rolled her eyes but nodded before turning to treat the customers I had so rudely stolen her from.

It wasn't really a bad that Ino lied about everything, I just wanted to get some anger out. The passive aggressiveness I was giving Kakashi wasn't worth it. I was never good at the silent treatment.

Going into the kitchen I saw an Asian woman at least in her sixties, kneading some dough.

Going behind the screen in the corner that Ino had added for me so I didn't need to have a key to her apartment above the shop, I stripped to change into my uniform.

"Hi, I'm Jenny," I called over the thin paper screen.

There was a whisp as the flour was propelled across the table and a slight thump as Kin began to knead the dough again. I frowned as I continued to listen for an answer and finding none, I craned my head around the edge of the paper to look at the back of the woman who appeared not to notice me.

Ducking back into safety behind the screen, I finished my look with the little lacey hat and shoved my feet into the impossibly high heels, accidently tagging the heels. I held onto the wall for support with an annoyed grunt. Could this day get any worse?

I knew not to tempt fate again, but it seemed like I couldn't help myself.

It wasn't like the bad luck hit me straight out this time.

I managed to get around the screen and potter over to the table where I took one of the bowls to begin making everything when Kin introduced herself, albeit more loudly than I needed.

After what felt like hours, I waddled out onto the floor with my ear ringing from the abuse that had just been hurled at me. It was only later that Ino told me that Kin was slightly deaf and that was probably why she didn't hear me earlier.

But like I said, the luck didn't hit me wrong until I had a table on my side of the room that I needed to attend. Shifting the top down and inching the skirt up never hurt anyone. It was cold and clinical that I was thinking this way, but it was the way I could get more tips. Tips meant more money.

And those tips were needed. I wanted out of that flat.

I knew I was being rash but I didn't care.

Kakashi didn't care.

Tightening my blue ponytails (something I still had yet to get used to), I clicked my way over to the table in direct line of sight at the counter and I saw a snowy white head of hair, of the same gravity defying calibre as a certain pervert, resting on a set of broad shoulders. Staring at me.

This intense stare had me going slightly weak kneed relaxing me, forcing me to be unprepared for any sign of attack in the slouched form of the person who had his back to me, with grey hair.

A stealth attack in the form of hiding in plain sight.

Rounding around the individual, I almost halted in my steps and was half way through pivoting to turn around and go back into the kitchen to avoid _him_.

Sigh, but alas, it was not to be so as the slouched man looked up from his book at peered over the shoulder of the white haired man and arched an eyebrow. Another challenge.

One I would not back down from.

Plastering a smile onto my face, I turned to the man who had now had a little seductive smirk on his face. Or it could be classed as leering, but instead, I turned into recovery mode. I pretended to reciprocate.

Turning my face away, as if embarrassed, I curled a finger around one of my pony tails, bringing his gaze to focus on my hand which then followed up my bare arms. I waited with baited breath to see the disgust or judgement that I had seen on some of the customers that frequent the café.

Many believe that if the women work in cosplay, they have to be pretty but this is severely not the case when you looked at me, and that disappointment was tangible especially when they ask for the 'hot one' to come and serve them. But usually after this rudeness, even Ino sends them out.

She has standards.

Clearing my throat, I made a show of getting my pen out of my apron as I flipped to a clean bit of my notebook.

"What can I help you with today?" I asked with a smile, giving Kakashi a slight sight of the back of my shoulder, showing my frigity to his presence.

The white haired man, gave me a slow perusal that actually had _me_ blushing, what with his lengthy pause at my neck and between my legs rather than the usual places such as the breasts and the garter straps.

"How about an in depth tour of your body?"

Well.

That was direct.

I blinked surprised and a little bit confused.

Was that some weird come on?

The furrow in my brow told the white haired man and he held out his hand.

"I'm Jiraiya, you probably have heard of me, but I am a novelist and would like to base you as the character in my next book," he said with a smirk as his eyes took in my form again.

I felt more than saw Kakashi giving me a signal behind me but I ignored him focusing more on my interest on Jiraiya's work.

"Oh? Is it anything I have read? I'm sorry, I have only just come to town so I'm not well versed in all the literature here yet," I said playfully, switching my weight from one leg to the other to show another angle of my hip.

"Jenny, you don't want to be a character in his books," his voice said behind me, nonchalantly.

I turned my cold eyes to face Kakashi's surprisingly blank eye. What had he to be annoyed about?

"It isn't your call Kakashi," I said frostily but thawed when I turned back to the other occupant of the table who looked intrigued with the hardened social dynamics in front of him. "So what time do you want to arrange a meeting? Tonight after work?"

Jiraiya raised his eyebrows but left the elephant in the room where it stood. "Tonight sounds good, maybe we can talk over dinner too?" his sparkly white teeth would have made my granddad go crazy with excitement. He was a dentist.

Ignoring the almost negative energy emanating from the person behind me, I beamed at the bleach haired man with red tear tracks running down his face and got a spare piece of paper and wrote my address down for him and a time.

"Pick me up here and we'll see if we are hungry then," the innuendo was soft but from the alighting in the man's eyes, he had a dirty mind and knew what I was suggesting.

"Maybe you will be hungry and I will especially after this _hard_ meeting," he said with a smirk, lounging back, his top tightening over what I believed to be a body builders wet dream of a chest, made by the dents that the t-shirt clung to desperately.

"Maybe I need to _release_ you after this trying time," I responded, pretending to be writing something down on my pad of paper, innocent.

"Or you could get me a green tea and him a ginseng and lemon," Kakashi interrupted, his eye glinting up at me, just as imposing as his very presence.

With a glare, I stalked off to prepare their order.

…o0o…

As soon as Jenny left, Jiraiya pounced.

"I know you to be a smooth talker with the ladies so what could the great Kakashi do to make that woman so mad?" Jiraiya teased as he perched his chin on his fist, his face alight with humour.

Kakashi just gave him a withering stare before opening his orange book with an obvious flourish and pretended to continue reading. But this proved to tell Jiraiya more than if Kakashi had defended himself.

"Ahhh, you don't know what you've done," his mentor in all things perverted said knowingly.

Kakashi now glared at the older man over his book, showing his unwillingness to talk with him about this.

"I know what _you_ have done," Kakashi gave up any pretence of reading his book in favour of staring Jiraiya straight in the eye, leaning forward as he continued. "You have just flirted with my roommate and are planning putting her in your book as one of the bangable characters in between _then_ having sex with her." Kakashi slouched back in his seat as if this didn't bother him.

But it did.

Kakashi just wanted to run his hand down his face in exhaustion but knew that would be a sign of weakness and a sign of caring, which he didn't want to do.

And while Kakashi didn't know _definitely_ what he had done, he had a theory.

But he wasn't going to tell Jiraiya that.

"Ahhh, are you jealous my young grasshopper?"

Kakashi restrained the need to hit the other man over the head. Multiple times. With his chair. Then when that broke, the table.

"I have Sakura; I have no need to be jealous," Kakashi said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Yes you do have Sakura, but let me guess, the real thing isn't as good as what you imagined it to be?" Jiraiya continued with, what Kakashi thought was, an infuriatingly knowing voice.

The brief show of surprise came through his face but before he could hide it, the white haired man caught on to it like a Jack Russell with a toy. He would not let go.

"I'm right? Well, of course I am. I am well versed in the language with love and how what seems to be the promise of a beautiful day withers behind the dark grey clouds that you couldn't see at the horizon."

"How poetic," Kakashi responded dryly and was about to say something else when Jenny came back with their tray and lay out their orders wordlessly.

However, she did reserve a smile for Jiraiya but then turned coldly back to her work.

Both men waited until the woman had left before continuing.

"But you know I'm right," Jiraiya pointed out, "you went into the relationship with Sakura with high expectations, yet she is showing you wrong and now you are left feeling disappointed."

"No, _you're_ wrong," Kakashi disputed, refusing to believe this ridiculous hypothesis, while a little part of him was being related to with Jiraiya's truthful words. "I'm not disappointed, Sakura is everything I thought. It's just that she needs a little time."

Jiraiya raised a dubious brow. "Am I? Kakashi, believe me. I know what it is to pine after a med-nin. Hell, most of the village knows. But I can understand your reluctance to let go." Jiraiya leans back in his chair with a sigh after taking a sip from his cup. "They are usually cold, detached and even when they smile, you can see they aren't showing you the whole picture. But then the worst thing that can possibly happen, happens: they show you a smile in private that they aren't holding back, that they aren't subduing.

So then you start to go down the rabbit hole. They go back to normal and you try to convince yourself that it didn't mean anything that they showed you that smile and only you. But then they do it again. And you fall even faster.

To be a med-nin, they have to be passionate about their work but this applies to everything around them where they do it in relationships and other tasks too. But here's the rub:

They can only love one full heartedly. There has to be a sacrifice.

And nine times out of ten, the sacrifice usually is the chump that falls in love with them in the first place."

Kakashi was silent the entire time that Jiraiya was lost down memory lane, a saddened look replacing the jovial crinkle that usually was there, even when he was solemn, just trying to cheer the other up.

They sat there in silence for the remaining of their tea drinking, each lost in his own thoughts.

Kakashi sat there, wondering, maybe it worked the other way too.

When the bloke is going to be sacrificed, maybe they know and still cling desperately to the executioner. But they also cling to the noose when they are swung. The noose being the proverbial of the dream relationship that they think of inside their head.

And Kakashi thought he found his noose.

It was just a matter of when it was going to tighten around his neck.

…o0o…

_Martin dodged as Neil dived forwards to follow through with his punch, stumbling. Taking advantage, Martin slammed his glove into his opponent's ribs, who gave out a grunt of pain as he spun around, bouncing on the balls of his feet. _

"_What the fuck is wrong, Neil? You have been-" Martin grunted as he ducked and smacked his fist into an uppercut, just above Neil's belly button, "-distracted lately." _

_Although, Neil probably could have said pot calling kettle since Martin hadn't been in the right mind either._

_Dodging another set of pitiful punches, Martin straightened up signalling the end of the fight, already beginning to unwrap the glove from his sweaty hand. _

"_You can't compete like this; tell me what's wrong," he went over to the corner of the ring and retrieved the two water bottles and walked over to where Neil was slumped against the ropes, his chest heaving, sweat dotting his brow in the July heat. _

"_It's nothing," Neil said, his smile so fake that it made a manikin jealous. _

"_Neil," he laid a hand on the younger man's shoulder, gain his attention before whispering softly, "tell me what's wrong. Please." _

_Then all of a sudden, Neil was a sobbing mess. _

_Martin could see his hands shaking as he reached up to cover his face with his hands. "I can't do it, I can't do it!" _

_Martin was confused. What had had he done?_

_Neil had never become so hysterical over an upcoming match before. This admittedly was one of the more important matches he would ever part take in, but Neil always gave off a mood of calm when he trained, knowing what needed to be done and what to avoid. _

_But this, Martin didn't know how to deal with this._

_Where one moment he was crying, Martin missed the change where Neil seemed to fly into a fit of rage as he flung his water bottle with the power of a knockout punch at the wall on the other side of the room, forcing the lid of the bottle to separate and spill the water out and leak onto the cheap concrete floor. _

_The sounds of the boxing gym slowed down apart from the people with their music pounding into their ears, however even they slackened when they saw what was happening on the centre stage. _

_Martin just almost gaped at Neil. The ever happy Neil. The Neil without a care in the world. Crying, raging, cussing up a storm._

"_Neil-" Martin tried to place a hand on the raging male but barely had dodged with the skills of the Army before Neil had tried swiping at him with a fist. _

"_Fuck off," he snarled, "this isn't even fucking important. Not anymore." _

_With that he shoved Martin out of the way, storming under the elastic rope and hurling his gym bag over his shoulder and slamming out of the door. Everyone's eyes following him out but Martin's. _

_What just happened?_

…o0o…

He was still standing there. Watching me. Silent. Like me.

I tied my hair up into its customary two ponytails. Sure, it was juvenile that I was keeping up the habit, but I thought I looked adorable. I love that. Adorable. A claiming of innocence.

But I kept messing up the ties. My hands were shaky. And I couldn't understand why.

Well, maybe it was the fact that he wasn't fucking blinking, I swear.

Trying to ignore someone with such obvious presence is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. So painfully hard.

Finally, after getting that sorted, I looked to the bathroom clock and saw that it was ten to. I had about five minutes if Jiraiya was over eager which I seriously believed he was. Just the thought of him sent extra trembles to my hands.

And not in a good way.

It wasn't that I didn't find him attractive. That wasn't it.

It was like I felt… guilty and I didn't know why. I had nothing to feel guilty about.

I uncapped my lipstick and began to apply. Bottom, left to right, lift, top, right to left. Check the corners, check the teeth and check the smile. All good.

"There is a theory I want to run through someone," my smiled winked out as I pretended I couldn't hear him. "Someone who won't talk back to me, do you mind if I use you?"

I took my mascara and began to re lengthen the lashes with long, sure strokes.

"Well, I'll take that as a yes," Kakashi pushed himself off the door jamb and walked towards me, now resting against the counter next to me. "So I was just thinking about our situation. Now, I know you are mad at me-"

I wanted to snort but that would be a sign that I was paying attention to him. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

"-but there are a number of reasons why but I have yet to define it." Kakashi turned around and bopped my hip with his forcing me to stumble to the right so Kakashi was standing in front of the sink and running the water as he peeled off his gloves.

I glared at him before continuing to ensure my makeup was perfect.

"But I'm thinking it was because you waited up for me, made me dinner like usual. And I know how you are, with your food. It's an art."

Kakashi picked up the bar of soap that was lying in its non-slip dish and started to lather.

"But art is only art if it is appreciated and you are annoyed with me over the fact that I wasn't home to be there to eat the food you made, delicious by the way, some of the sandwich you left behind for me," Kakashi cut me a side glance as he said the aside. "Am I right?" Kakashi finished with a peculiar face.

That was what finally got me.

"I'm not angry about that you jackass," I snarled, pushing Kakashi out of the way so I could continue to brush the other eye lid's lashes.

"I thought as much," Kakashi replied, his hands building up a rhythm as they built up the soap. "So _are_ you going to tell me what I did, or destroy our small friendship over something I don't even know about?"

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck before replacing the wand back into its inky grave. He seemed to know how to make me feel like such a child and it was like that my anger diffused into the air around and left through the cracked window.

"You know what happened on the," I swallowed the lump from my throat futilely, "mission, really damaged me. You should know the entire week that you were away," I turned my eyes to meet his. "I couldn't sleep without the thought that _he_ would come back, that you weren't there to protect me." I tilted my head back to try and hold the tears in and it worked to alleviate the pressure in my gorge reflex.

There was the sound of hands being run under water and the rough whisping of fabric then a mostly dry hand, cupping my face, soothing.

"I had to find myself distractions or work myself so hard that I would be exhausted enough to go to sleep."

I thought of Iruka, but I wasn't sure if Kakashi knew about that excursion but I didn't want him to be angry in any case. Not that he would get angry about me sleeping with someone else since he didn't have a claim to me, like I had no claim to him, making the actions of that day all the more shameful.

"Just the _thought_ of no one staying so I didn't disappear was frightening and so when you came back, I, for some unknown reason, believed you would _at least_ leave a note, just to reassure me because I was so sure that you wouldn't _leave_ me without telling me like last time-"

I cut off when I felt the pressure against my cheek increase before finally allowing my face to slump into Kakashi's hand.

"I don't want to have to worry like that again. I wasn't sure if you had left me for sure or not," I whispered brokenly, finally opening my eyes to see Kakashi's partially apologetic one. "I shouldn't blame you and I'm sorry that I irrationally did. And I don't even care that you were out with Sakura, but just please, next time. _Leave. A. Note_."

Kakashi nodded and I gave a watery smile that was on the verge of falling when there was a bumping of a fist against the thin front door in the other room. I stepped back quickly, realising how close we were and my cheeks gained some colour that wasn't from my cheap blusher.

"Could you tell him I'll be there in a second?" I asked Kakashi, refusing to look him as I fluffed up my blue hued locks and adjusting the top of my dress. "I just need a minute."

I didn't hear him leave but I saw his retreating from my peripheral and when I heard the deep voice of Jiraiya in the other room, I couldn't help but feel the relief of an almost chaperone.

I covered my face in embarrassment.

I can't _believe_ myself!

_Leave a note?_ What am I? His fucking mother? His girlfriend? And what was all that shit on feeling alone? _You don't need to bloody guilt trip the poor guy Jenny!_

I huffed, shaking my head, feeling the swaying of the tails on my head. What am I going to do with myself?

Nothing, for the moment as I did one last check, making sure the slight watering of my eyes didn't smudge the blackness to go under my eyes. I boosted my breasts one last time in the dark red silky halter dress.

It was already sweltering; I couldn't physically bring myself to wear anything thicker.

With a spray of my mango-y perfume, I walked out to meet my date.

I was greeted with a perusal and a cheeky leer that I appreciated in spite of myself. While Kakashi seemed to basically oblivious to my sexual appeal, it reassured me that I was still attractive to at least _some_ of the male population. But then Jiraiya could have been humouring me. I mean the scars on my arms weren't going to go away.

They were horrendous.

As we walked down the stairs outside the flat, I embarrassingly fell onto Jiraiya forcing him to catch me, his hand lingering a little low for my liking.

While I liked a good bit of eye appreciation, I didn't really appreciate them acting on it.

But I smiled, pretending like I hadn't noticed.

And the date continued on like that. The silences filled with sexual innuendos and witty repartee.

But I was almost bored out of my mind.

Like it seemed Jiraiya was incapable of having a normal conversation without the sexual hints. In fact, if you grabbed the transcripts of our entire conversation, and blacked out all the parts that had anything to do with sex, having sex, the post coital, you would have a page of sentences. All from me, changing the topic.

I shook my head, to pay attention to him again but I couldn't help but want to be back at the flat, reading my smutty book in the bubbly bath, maybe Kakashi sitting on the nearby toilet seat, neither of us saying anything, in blissful silence.

I was almost tempted so say no when he asked me if we should take the discussion back to his room.

I hesitated.

I really didn't want to go with him… but would Kakashi wait up for me? Would he even care?

I shook my head and opened my mouth to say no and-

"Sure," came out instead as I placed my hand in his out stretched one.

Internally, I was beating my sub conscious into a bloody pulp. What a stupid reason I was doing this for? Was I trying to make Kakashi jealous?

_Well, dear subconscious, stop trying,_ I told myself bitingly.

_And it wouldn't even matter in the end of it, _I went on to think a little more sadly, _because when I am going to get back, I bet that Kakashi won't even be there. Too busy having it on with Sakura._ I thought to myself harshly, refusing myself to get my stupid hopes up because this was an even stupider reason for sleeping with Jiraiya.

I wasn't feeling lonely, my esteem about my scars wasn't at a critical low.

So why wasn't I backing out?

I was at the door, it would be so easy to say that I had to go home. I peeled off my shoes at the door.

It would be so easy to say that the food I ate was bad when we sat on the sofa. I allowed the thick bow at the nape of my neck to be unattached to expose my plum silk bra set.

What about when we were through the bedroom door, his mouth following every predictable pattern that men seemed to have, it would be so easy if I said I left the ovens on at work. But I allowed myself to be propelled backwards onto the bed, his mouth wandering over to my breasts.

I just stared at the ceiling, allowing the customary moans come out, but my mind kept circling over all the different excuses I could have given.

All left unsaid.

…o0o…

_Nathaniel 'Neil' Webbs kicked a metal can out into the empty car park. Stupid thing getting in his way. _

_He could smell the briny air in the Portsmouth harbour and he felt the grey overcast sinking into his bones, turning the already worn white into a faded black. Like his mood. _

_He sucked in a deep breath as he perched on the edge of a bench, looking out on the harbour, the boats bobbing happily, without a care for the fall out of the people around them. The fall out of Jennifer Webbs. They didn't care. _

_He took another breath, refusing to be beat down by this. She would wake up. She would. _

_The NHS gave up their best doctors for such a high profile case. He could just hear the disapproval in her tone as she stood there with her hands on her hips, "well what of all the other people in worse accidents than me? I'm taking their doctors? Don't you feel ashamed of yourself?" she would give a dismissive toss of her hair as she would turn back to making his favourite carrot cake in their kitchen, back in Dorset. "I'm not sure if you even deserve this cake," she would continue haughtily, her dark green eyes stern in the morning light leaking through the window. "Send them back." _

_Neil gave a small smile, rolling a bit of tape left over from being wrapped around his wrist between his fingers. God he missed her so much. _

_Seeing her laying there on the stark hospital bed, it didn't make sense that such a colourful person would be lying in a bleached box, tubes shoved down her throat and a computer screen at constant vigil at her side. _

_Neil huffed out another breath, rubbing his long brown hair in frustration. He would have to make time to go down to London that weekend. Everyone would understand. _

_Well, no they wouldn't. He hadn't told anyone and Susan was getting angry. _

_Screw her. It wasn't her business to know every fucking thing about his life. Then he felt the little pain of thinking about Jenny again. He knew how she felt about his swearing. _

_He gave a small chuckle that soon fell to sobs as he cupped his face to hide it from the surrounding world. He knew what she would say and he would reply "But you swear more than I do!" _

_Jenny would give him that look that would just say it all. "I know how to use mine though, when you stop being a baby about who gets to say what, I'll stop treating you like one." _

_God when would this pain ever stop? And would he ever let Jenny open her eyes again? _

_Would he let her see the daylight again? _

_Or would he just end her existence with the flip of a switch? _

_There were too many options and Neil didn't like his probability and was feeling his world spinning beneath him as he picked up his gym bag to start walking to the train station. _

_It was Sunday. It was time for Sunday roast at the parents, ignoring two empty chairs rather just that past May where him, Jenny and their parents were avoiding looking at just the one._

…o0o…

Sneaking out from under the beefy arm of Jiraiya was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in a while. And believe me, it wasn't the easiest thing ever and was a close call between letting him continue to lie there until the awkward morning after began.

But I was soon propelled out of the bed as soon as I thought about having sex with him again.

My usual rule of sleeping with older men fell through. While he had the imagination, he had slobbery kisses not unlike Kiba's and then he had all the moves to make it great sex, it felt like he was going through the motions. I know I was.

I decided then and there, the little feeling of vengeance wasn't worth it. The little feeling of _ha, take that, Kakashi!_ Barely lasted the climax of Jiraiya, which was two minutes.

I shuddered as I carried my heels in my hand while my left cupped my upper arm consolingly. There would be others or at least more promising candidates. I shouldn't beat myself up about this too much.

I squinted as I looked at my surroundings in the morning light suspiciously and sight. I should have paid more attention to where we were going rather than focusing on some unused excuse.

Heaving another sigh through my nose and I began to force myself to venture where I thought the middle of town was and that was when I saw it:

The fluffy, grey, gravity defying hair on a set of slouched shoulders.

Quickening my pace, the lamp light winked out just before I reached him and I saw Kakashi look up slightly annoyed as he was standing in the shadows so wouldn't have been able to get the light needed to read his book.

"Hey," I whispered, my voice bouncing off the walls of the grimy buildings surrounding us. Jiraiya didn't live in a nice district.

Kakashi looked up and saw me and gave me an eye crinkle as he gesture his book up to the recently turned out street light pointlessly.

"It broke."

I gave a giggle and an eye roll as I took his arm and dragged him out into the bright morning sunlight.

"But that works too," Kakashi continued contemplatively after a brief second of silence before shaking the book open in front of him again and began to read and walk in the direction I was originally heading.

I then thought about how he would know which way I went, he knew I had a bad sense of direction, so how would he know which way I went?

When I said as much all I got from him was a dubious raised eyebrow and an index pointing to his chest and he said "ninja."

Well.

How was that supposed to answer my question?

We continued walking through the town, looking like the walk of shame gone wrong and through the dark alleys and in the little shadows that were left I saw the other women (and men) sneaking through, hoping to get home before the morning market would be set up.

I gave a chuckle as I saw a particularly desperate woman dive behind a group of boxes and I could just imagine her doing a little tuck and roll to maintain her balance. But in my distraction, my foot stood on an exceptionally sharp (and big if I may add) piece of glass that triggered me to hiss and stumble, hopping awkwardly on one foot.

I slowed to rest a forearm against the wall for support as I tentatively picked up my foot to examine and cooed, disgusted.

"Holy shit that's gross," I grimaced, as I tried to pick the glass out with my hand only to have it batted away by an orange covered book.

I yanked my hand away protectively, searching for more assaults but instead, I found Kakashi resting on the ground in front of me, rotating my foot this way and that, looking at my foot at different angles. The little fireworks shooting off all around the sensitive skin of my ankle.

He finally shook his head in resignation, he stood. Some relief covered my brain at the release of my foot, my body not acclimatised to the feeling of him and his skin causing what felt like nuclear fusions underneath my skin.

"So what's the verdict? Are you actually going to take that glass out or going to let me suffer?" a little of my annoyance came through at having to be stopped from taking the worst of it out.

But again, instead of answering, Kakashi bent down and hauled me over his shoulder, fireman style. And I did the only logic thing being turned over in that manner. I shrieked.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" I tried to manoeuver my arms around to hold my skirt down to stop them flashing my silky briefs to the little public that were beginning to make their presences known.

"I'm trying to get you home where you don't put any more pressure on the glass to push into your foot," Kakashi replied calmly before jogging down some steps causing my teeth the clatter together like castanets.

"That's why I was trying to take it out earlier," I responded irritably into his shoulder, my voice probably muffled by the material of his shirt, but despite the fact that I like men looking at my knickers, I only liked that when I was the one taking off my clothes, not for some creepy onlooker!

My breath came out in sharp pants as I felt all my front that was connected to Kakashi begin to roam with all these electrical charges like multiple naked wires sparking right against my skin. It was getting down right uncomfortable.

"But you would just have made a mess of it and time is of the essence since we are trying to get you home in time for you to get changed and get to work," Kakashi replied, and we began to jog up some stairs again and this time I held my jaw tightly in check, trying not to allow my teeth to click.

I was trying to focus so much but there was some beeping in the background and my head pivoted this way and that to try and find the source but came up empty as everywhere around us was deserted.

Then there was a clinking of keys and the metal grind of the door sounding out a low mournful sound as it was pushed open.

We walked passed the couch.

And when I said 'we', I meant Kakashi walked straight passed the couch and into the little corridor, passing the kitchen and went straight into the bathroom, where I was carefully turned back the right way up onto the lip of the bathtub.

The blood flowed out of my head at a fast rate and I swayed as a little bit of the feeling of motion sickness hit and I gripped onto the side with a fierce determination.

I could feel the pain intensify as my skin tried to heal over the glass and was getting viciously cut for its efforts.

I hissed as I felt more blood drip out of me, my teeth gritted together tighter, my jaw aching.

Kakashi came back with some tweezers, a small scalpel that sent a twinge of unease through me and a bottle of antiseptic, all resting on a white towel that looked a little stained.

"Are you sure that's sanitary?" I asked doubtfully looking at the towel then at Kakashi who was busy turning on the taps of the bath and adjusting the temperature.

All I got was a grunt.

Rolling my eyes, I allowed Kakashi to concentrate as he finally settle on the almost boiling temperature, man handling my legs so that they were resting in the water. I couldn't really complain about his attitude as my grimy feet began to have the dirt melted off them.

Raising the injured foot out of the water, his touch only enlarging my pain yet I tried not to let him see it as I winced less visibly than I wanted to, biting my lip. Kakashi held the offending appendage up for inspection in the harsh lighting of the bathroom and began to pick out the large pieces of glass and put them into the little bin by his feet.

This agonising process felt like it took forever as my leg muscles started to strain from being held in an alleviated position for so long and then I could feel my one night stand energy hitting my eyes and feeling so tired…

"Stay awake Jenny," a tiny slap hit my cheek forcing my eyes awake again.

I cupped my cheek, my mouth open in mock outrage.

"Domestic abusive, so early in the relationship?" I gasped and wanted to pretend to swoon but I knew I was too tired to hold my balance properly on the thin edge of the tub.

Kakashi gave a grunt as he got another piece of the glass fragment.

When he still didn't answer, my head fell back to rest between my shoulder blades, leaning back on my hands that were supporting my body on the edge. "Are you going to be finished soon?"

"Almost there," Kakashi said while going for a large dig. I hissed trying to with tract my foot away from the pain, but Kakashi held on resolutely.

"Kakashi," I whined, trying to get him to release me by shaking my captured limb a little.

"I said I'm almost there," he chastised, his eye narrowed on the laceration.

I sighed and braced myself for another hard excavation. It came and I hissed again, but this time I tried not to take my foot back.

"There," he said finally, lowering my foot back into the now lukewarm water to wash away the remaining grime and the top layer of blood.

He lifted my muscle sore limb out of the water his thumb began to slowly rub away the clotted red and the free flowing kind, with gentle circles to inspect it again before bringing the disinfectant and unceremoniously pour a liberal dose onto the cut.

I kicked out, trying to catch him in the chest, for the enormous amount of pain he just put me through but he caught it easily and inspected the cut as he watched it finally knit closed.

"There all better," Kakashi lay down my leg, this time on the ratty bath mat beneath so I was straddling the edge of the bathtub.

"Do I get a lolly pop too? What about a cool plaster?" I asked jokingly, taking my other foot out of the bath this time and began to dry it with the slightly bloody towel used to rest my foot on when the operation was occurring.

Kakashi stood up and went to the cabinet below the sink and hunted around for a little bit and finally when he found what he was looking for he took my hand and placed the small wrapper in my hand.

And when I looked down, what I saw made my tired brain wire into hysterical laughter.

Resting in the palm of my hand was a grey plaster completely covered in throwing stars.

It was so not him, yet so… was.

I looked back into Kakashi's face where I saw he looked disgruntled for my laughter.

I tried to smother my smile to no avail.

"Would you put it on Doctor Hatake?" I asked teasingly, holding up my foot in the air expectantly swaying it around in front of his face, wiggling my toes.

He rolled his eyes but never the less, took my proffered foot and began the sticky business of unpeeling the protective plastic and sticking the plaster onto my foot.

With a final rub, Kakashi placed my foot back onto the floor, signifying my foot bandaged.

"You realise that was useless right?" I said, as I pushed myself off the bath and walked perfectly into the bedroom to get the towels from the cupboard. I heard no foot steps behind me but when I turned around he was right there.

I gave a little squeak of surprise that was easily subdued as Kakashi crowded me unintentionally against the wall.

"Did anything happen last night?" he asked, lowering his forearms to the thin wall behind me.

Okay, so maybe the crowding _was_ intentional.

"Wha-what do you mean?" I asked my voice small, looking down at the towel my hands, pushing my fingers into the rough patches from over use.

"I mean," Kakashi enunciated perfectly, "are you alright? That pervert didn't do anything…" he trailed off, his eyes going dull.

And then I realised where his thoughts were going.

"Oh!" I exclaimed. "Oh no, nothing like that," I rushed to reassure him, my arms going around his waist. "You don't need to worry about that, and he seems like your friend, I doubt that he would ever have done anything like that."

My senses were spitting at me, complaining about the back and forth between the lack of feeling and the perception of _over feeling_.

Kakashi's arms returned my hug despite his voice was still gruff, as if he didn't care.

"Sorry I was just thinking of that mission," he said.

I flinched.

"That guy never did anything then either," I said quietly, my face into his chest hoping he didn't hear me, hoping he did.

"Oh," Kakashi released me, his hand going behind his head, awkward.

I forced a smile on my face.

"Stop being such a worry wart," I said brightly, bopping his nose with my fingertip as I ducked under his arm, past him and walked to the bathroom, keeping an eye on the time.

Hopping into the shower, I removed every last bit of DNA of Jiraiya from my body, and removed my mask from the night before.

I was not Jenny the Instigator. I was not Jenny the Reciprocator.

I was Jenny. Just Jenny.

…o0o…

Sorry, about the wait and I'm sorry about the poor quality, I just couldn't get Jenny right for once :(

Just deal with this poor human for a little while longer.


	12. Strange Dreams Next To A Pervert

Strange Dreams Next To A Pervert

"**Sorry I was just thinking of that mission," he said. **

**I flinched. **

"**He never did anything then," I said quietly, my face into his chest hoping he didn't hear me, hoping he did. **

"**Oh," Kakashi released me, his hand going behind his head, awkward. **

**I forced a smile on my face. **

"**Stop being such a worry wart," I said brightly, bopping his nose with my fingertip as I ducked under his arm, past him and walked to the bathroom, keeping an eye on the time. **

**Hopping into the shower, I removed every last bit of DNA of Jiraiya from my body, and removed my mask from the night before. **

**I was not Jenny the Instigator. I was not Jenny the Reciprocator. **

**I was Jenny. Just Jenny.**

…o0o…

I covered my wide mouth with my hand, trying to quell the urge to yawn _again_.

Shaking my head, I let the wave of exhaustion take over and let out a little squeak when the yawn finally finished. I rubbed my face tiredly, wondering if I should even put make up on if my eyes were going to water each time I gave a sign of opening my mouth again.

Looking in the mirror, the sleepless nights were beginning to show something awful. Blue shadows building up beneath my eyes, bloodshot whites where even my usual bright blue eyes were dulled from not sleeping. It truly was a horror to look at.

Just staring at my pyjama clad form, the thought that I needed to get ready for going out with everyone tonight, crossed my mind but glancing at my haggard face, it seemed insurmountable at that point.

I sighed, rubbing a little of the lingering condensation from the mirror from my shower before. Behind me, I could hear the water rattling against the cheap plastic of the shower cubicle signalling Kakashi was showering.

Taking as my chance to change in peace, I left the room as I quickly grabbed the first things to my hands: normal, lazy knickers and bra with a v neck black t shirt with my lace up seams shorts. I wasn't trying to impress anyone. Hell, my foggy mind could barely think of impressing anyone else with the sheer exhaustion that was laying down on me like a big ass Alsatian on Christmas day.

When tying up the bows at my hips, I went to the utilitarian mirror, the only thing occupying that side of the room for a perusal of my form.

Checking over my shoulder quickly for Kakashi and even to my dulled hearing, I could hear the shower still raining. Reassured, I bent over to check for pantie lines.

My head craned over, and I wiggled my hips from side to side to determine if my knickers were shown anywhere and much to my irritation I saw that no matter where I looked I could see the baggy whiteness even through the black fabric.

Straightening up, I rubbed my face wearily. Maybe I should just call it a night.

"What were you doing?" a mild voice said from the door.

I jumped, a little eep coming through, my feet instinctively positioning themselves in a way to defend or flee, I couldn't decide.

Probably flee. I knew from the scars on my body, I couldn't protect myself even if I had _wanted_ to.

Covering my mouth which was now panting from the unused adrenaline, I gave a breathless laugh when I saw Kakashi propped against the door frame, his arms folded across his bare chest, a pair of baggy shorts hanging low, oh so low, on his hips, highlighting his v lines.

I tried to distract myself from the unconscious modelling from my roommate to try and focus on what he just said.

"I was just…uh," I stuttered, colouring. "I was just, um," I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly trying to find an excuse, my eyes looking to the ceiling again.

"Trying to see a way where you wouldn't see your knickers?" Kakashi asked knowingly, moving forward into the room where he opened the drawer closest to him and pulled out a long sleeved black top, despite the hot humidity that seemed to be a constant companion in this region.

Realising what Kakashi had just said, I scowled, blushing, refusing to look at him.

"And to achieve that, I propose you go without," he said calmly, his hand still figuring out the holes in which the various appendages were supposed to go through.

I stared at him in something akin to horror. Me, knickerless? I could already feel the chafing or the-the…_uncleanliness_ of it all. I shuddered. No, there was only a few ways I go without underwear: under pyjamas where I know I'm not going to be greeting anyone and the shower because imagine how stupid that would be for getting clean?

"But that's barbaric!" I cried, my hands crossing over my chest to try and put another barrier of defence against him.

"What? Easy access?" his eyes never wavered from his mission of getting his shirt on.

"Well…" I stuttered, not sure why that was a bad thing before I reassumed my indignation. "It's still weird, you'll get fluff in places you never knew you had!"

Kakashi wrinkled his nose in distaste under his mask.

"Fair point," he said, threading his arms through his sleeves. "But that was extremely crass, even for you."

I flushed and toed the ground trying not to remember what I had just said moments before.

He never stopped in his movements of rolling his top down over his chest and abs. While I was not complaining as the sight of all that exposed flesh, I _was_ beginning to get distracted from my argument of knickers or no knickers. Finally Kakashi moved and turned to leave again but I heard his voice that seemed a bit more chilled compared to the light hearted tone we had just the moment before.

"There is nothing wrong with staying in tonight," he pushed the sentence out between his teeth, his hands already in gloves from the top of the dresser.

"So why aren't you trying to stay in tonight?" I called after his retreating form. "I know that you are tired, have you been sleeping alright?"

Kakashi just waved a hand at me, a lazy hand to show his sign of hearing me but couldn't be bothered to answer.

After a moment of silence with me leaning to the side to ensure that he wasn't coming back anytime soon, I bit my lip, my thumbs already hooked in the waist band of my shorts.

Could I do it? It went against everything that I believed in.

But after seeing the matter of fact and smug look on the quarter of his visible face, I confirmed it was worth the risk. Seeing as he was gone, I took the opportunity to quickly remove my knickers and pulled on my shorts again with a haste that got my toes catching at every point, making my rush all for nothing when I heard the muffled steps of Kakashi.

Finally, after much wrangling, I managed to shove the not really used knickers back in their draw before doing up the laces again at the tops of my hips before Kakashi rounded the corner and went to his book shelf where he stood there, pondering.

Flipping out my hair, I turned to the mirror again and saw the knots accumulating in the bottom of the already growing hair again. I flicked my hand around one of the knots. I would have to get Kakashi to cut it. Again.

Huffing out a sigh, I turned to go to the bathroom, happening to bump into Kakashi at the same time, he reached out a hand to steady me. I ignored the feeling of wholeness that overcame me with his touch as I retracted a step to allow him to go first.

"Are you sure you should be going out tonight?" Kakashi asked, concerned, preceding me into the hallway.

I frowned.

"Ye-yeah," I stuttered through a larger yawn causing tears to well up. "Why do you keep asking?"

Kakashi gave me a dubious look. "You are yawning all the time, you look like shit," my brow furrowed harder at that. "All I'm saying is that maybe you should stay in tonight."

"Well maybe you should stay in tonight too," I snapped a little of unknown anger swelling like a tidal wave, "you look like shit generally."

Immediately, the wave dissipated and I felt bad when the pervert said nothing. All he did was just raise his eyebrow at me, his hands on his hips. His eyes were all like _you just proved my point for me_.

"Sorry," I muttered, wilting. "Maybe I am more than a bit tired."

But it wasn't like I was _trying_ to be tired all the time. It was just the… dreams. Well, more like nightmares, where I was trapped with that beeping again, my limbs tied down, so much like when that man cut into m-

I shuddered. It was best not to think about it.

Kakashi moved forward, back into the space I had just departed and relaxed a hand on my forehead, feeling my temperature.

"You don't feel sick," he said mildly, his eye focusing on the wall behind me.

"Beca-because I'm not," I protested through another jawbreaker, my hand going to cover my mouth. "I just had a couple of rough nights."

Kakashi rolled his eyes as I pathetically tried to push past him with my weak shoves, before he finally let me by with a stumble.

Shooting him a glare, I went to the bathroom and pulled out a hair brush from my side of the sink and pulled it through the tiny snarls, the only sound in the bathroom.

He walked passed me once he had gotten his fill of looking at me like a stern parent. Settling himself on the closed lid of the toilet, his book was already out on his designated page. Looking at him from the corner of my eye, I tried for indifference as I asked a question that had always been on my mind since I had met him.

"Why _do_ you read the same series over and over again?" I asked, my bloodshot eyes never once leaving my mirror me. "Doesn't it get boring?"

I could feel his stare boring into my profile and I tried to pretend it wasn't affecting me despite the fact I was shuffling on my toes, subconsciously trying to give him less to see.

"If you had read it, you wouldn't say something so blasphemous," Kakashi said plainly, his head tucking back down to continue to read his smut.

I sighed, rubbing my eyes gingerly.

"I would have if your girlfriend hadn't destroyed it in her misplaced anger at you," I muttered under my breath thinking he hadn't heard me.

But had I been trying to see his reaction, I would have seen Kakashi start before covering it up as a shift for comfort.

Turning away from my fatigued form in the mirror to get my foundation brush, I spread the second skin to try and sweep some life and vitality in what looked to be the corpse bride's face. I made sure to get plenty under my shadowed eyes while rolling black over my lids to give the impression of mystery.

However, I cut my regime short of the usual eye curling and eye shadow. Frankly, I was too tired.

Washing my hands of any product that survived, I pulled my black v neck to re fit tightly over my body and I turned myself this way and that, to ensure I looked at least less dead at every angle.

"When is Sakura meant to be arriving?" I asked, turning to grab my perfume to layer that on where I smelled slightly stale from the night sweats, or the technically the nap sweats that I had tried to take earlier.

"Whose Neil?" Kakashi asked abruptly changing the subject, the snapping of his book closed an even bigger surprise.

Startled, I turned my stare to him, not sure on what to say, my mouth garbling for some kind of response.

"You haven't been sleeping well, you are restless in bed and you keep muttering his name the most along with your parents and a girl called Susie. So who is he?" Kakashi demanded, his shoulders were still slouched in his lazy grace, yet his eye was sharp enough that I knew I couldn't lie.

I felt my reluctance come out and I turned admire my reflection again.

"My brother. I think," I said quietly, remembering to pretend for my amnesia.

My eyes became shadowed, despite the thick layer of foundation covering them just at the thought of my lost brother.

"I've just been having these, these nightmares. Where I feel trapped in my body, I can't move, I can't seem to breathe unless someone is forcing me to just do it!" the outburst finally came out after days of no sleep where I was only going to tell him that it was nightmares.

"And then people come in all the time, some sound like doctors, other times it sounds like Neil and my mum and dad and and-" I cut off with a blub of the lump in my throat cutting my voice off.

Kakashi stood, alarmed as I basically collapsed with the force of my sobs and animalistic cries. I was never a pretty crier.

My chest hurt so much from the loss of my family, the fear that I wouldn't see them again. Just all the tension of being lost and no one to ever find me was scary enough.

Kakashi crouched with me, a hand extended awkwardly, unsure what to do.

So there we were positioned, my sitting on my heels, my hands limply lying on my thighs, clenched into harmless fists and Kakashi, trying to reach me through my emotional breakdown, but not sure how to breach the wall.

Finally, when I had cried myself out, I leant back on the cabinets under the sink, my head tilting to rest on the cheap wood too, my chest heaving.

Kakashi mimicked me but instead of his feet trailing to the side, his were both out stretched in front of him, almost kicking the bath tub.

"Sorry," Kakashi offered, almost helplessly.

I couldn't contain the hysteric laughter as my hand crept up to rub against my chest where my heart pumped in its vigour to keep me alive. It hurt too.

"You didn't even do anything," I finally croaked out, my throat dry from the wails that had screeched out, a dry chuckle still managed its way out.

Kakashi shrugged weakly. "I felt like I had to say something," he said, his right hand itching a scratch on the back of his neck.

I just shook my head, finding the energy to push myself to my feet again, and look at my face where you could see the tear tracks down my face. I scrunched my face up in distaste.

"Why didn't you tell me I looked like this sooner?" I asked, almost teasingly, also kind of serious.

Kakashi smoothly stood up and walked so he was at the door before her turned his head over his shoulder. "A little firefly told me that it was bad to make a woman feel bad about herself with her appearance," Kakashi paused before continuing. "Then again, we _are_ talking about you so I guess I have no excuse."

He barely rounded the door frame before the hair brush hit where he was previously standing, the hair brush denting the chipped white painted frame.

I huffed, shaking my head slightly amused. What was I going to do with him?

Reapplying my make up in the most needed places, I finally made my way out of the bathroom where I saw Kakashi trying to lie comfortably on the crumbled sofa that was in two pieces, where the cushions were haphazardly re-stuffed with its foam, uncaring of comfort.

"You should probably replace that?" I said, walking through the door to the kitchen to get my glass of water so I completely missed Kakashi's agreeing, pitiful face.

"Why should I bother to replace something when it doesn't need to be replaced?" Kakashi called through the door.

I stopped filling my glass to walk to the door where all I did was poke my head out and raise my brow showing the disbelief in the one movement.

"It's perfectly usable," Kakashi defended just as he repositioned himself and gave an almost imperceptible wince and picked up a kunai from the cushion that hadn't been removed.

I rolled my eyes walking back into the kitchen to guzzle my drink in peace without the crazy talking of a mad man to ruin it for me.

There was a thumping on the door signifying our escort and with a bristling the only sign of my discomfort, I gave Sakura a smile as I opened the door for her before backing away.

"Should we go?" I said, grabbing my bag that was by the door and slid on my open toed heels.

Sakura gave me a brief nod of acknowledgment before turning her attention to the broken sofa and Kakashi.

"You need to replace that soon," she said matter of fact.

Kakashi gave her a brief wave to say that she had heard her before reabsorbing himself in the orange layered novel. "Soon," he promised.

A little crush of anger simmered under my skin before I heaved it out in a sigh through my nose.

"Are we going or what?" I asked a little snippy and I wished someone would just beat me with a rounders bat to put me out of my jealous misery.

Sakura gave me a look and shrugged. "Whenever we decide to go, maybe you should go without us, so I can get 'Kashi ready," Sakura said, her eyes now looking lewdly down at her boyfriend from the door.

Internally I snorted. Yeah, I'm sure that was what you were planning on doing when I had left rather than fuck his brains out you bloody nymphomaniac.

I wanted to do something to get that look off her face but instead I placed a mask of niceness to clasp my face in every single crevice knowing that the lack of sleep was making me more grumpy than usual.

"Oh, I would but I don't know where we are drinking tonight," I said sweetly, the mental image of me stomping on Sakura's face the only reason why my smile was still there. Horrified at myself, I tried to actual smile more but I think it came out a bit manic.

Sakura's face twisted unpleasantly in displeasure before calling to Kakashi to "hurry his ass up!"

I frowned. Where was my hatred coming from? I could just imagine my mother's face already disapproving, her hands busy with a tea towel as she was almost on the verge of hitting me with it.

"_What had this poor soul deserved of your hatred? You should be ashamed of yourself, Jennifer. Go talk to your father, right now."_

Then I knew that my dad would just give me a look of disappointment which was worse than if he had shouted at me. I smiled at myself wistfully but resigned myself to walking with both Kakashi and Sakura.

The steps towards the pub was awkward and tiring as I was listening to their talks about anything and everything, Sakura's giggles and Kakashi's measured murmurs. It was just like at the hospital again. I was third wheeling to a great extent and I was wishing myself an alcoholic beverage to greet me in my hand by the time I had reached the pub.

When walking through the door, there must have been a God because who else would have heard my prayer?

Naruto and Hinata, Shikamaru and Ino, then finally in the corner was Sasuke nursing his own beer were sitting in a brighter corner of the dingy pub with a spare glass which I assumed was for me. After blindingly grabbing hold of the sweating glass offered by the beaming blond, I downed it in one and smacked my lips in appreciation before sliding into a chair between Naruto and Ino. Ready to get comfortable.

Poor choice indeed.

I chose to sit between not one couple, but _two_ couples. Sigh, why did I do this to myself?

And it wasn't even any better than Kakashi and Sakura.

Naruto was suffering from a very serious disease called young love and I could already see the symptoms.

Example symptom: called for awkward displays of public affection where they would kiss, one would blush. It was repetitive and boring. Guess who would try and put his arm around his girlfriend only for her to jump and faint? Oh yeah that would still be Naruto and Hinata. It was alarming the first few times until Ino batted my concern away saying this was a record for the least amount of times that she had fainted in the past hour. The after the fifteenth time, I was willing to tug my hair out in frustration.

This just aggravated me beyond belief. If you like someone and you know they like you back what was the point in getting all nervous?

Well, I thought that, but as soon as I did, my eyes unknowingly were drawn to Sakura and Kakashi who opted to stay by the bar and drink their drinks for the time being. It wasn't like that I thought that Kakashi liked me back and it wasn't like that I _liked_ liked him that way, yet I still got nervous in his presence anyway. But it was more of a…_lust_ kind of thing.

Hopefully.

Then, there was Shikamaru and Ino, where they never learned to _stop_ this phase. It's a very serious condition they had. But thankfully, they had outgrown the awkwardness.

Unluckily for me however as I sat there being the fifth wheel or seventh wheel, as it may be interpreted, with no one to talk to and I wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind to even consider going home with someone else that night.

Huffing out a pump of air from my mouth, my fringe that was framing my face flipped up in a pathetic wag of their tails.

Finally losing my patience, my fingers were itching to be brought to my mouth for something other than to yawn. Leaning around Ino who was cooing sexy nothings in an almost oblivious Shikamaru, who wasn't as nonchalant as he thought as my eyes in coming up to meet his, I saw the way his hand was sitting, not so innocently on Ino's thigh.

"Do you have a fag I could borrow?" I whispered to him.

Ino just glared at me like I was the biggest cock block in this entire fucked up country ('scuse my language) and I just returned it right back yet with less vigour as the tired irritation could also be seen as jealousy for the fact that I had no one to hold like that.

Shikamaru on the other hand, just gave me a sigh but accepted that I was just going to go asking everyone around until finally reverting back to him as I knew that he was a strong smoker of four years who never went without at least one cigarette from his house.

Accepting his bag and rolling paper, I quickly rolled one surreptitiously under the table until I excused myself from the other company present, trying to avoid making eye contact with the couples around. It was one of the ways this disease caught. It was soon to be an epidemic.

Sliding out into the beer garden, my hand already brought out my smut filled book for times such as these.

Yet it was just as I was revelling in the almost sunset and as I stuck the cigarette in my mouth that I realised I didn't have a light to let me get some of the smoke recovery. I sighed, aggravated, snapping my book angrily closed again.

Maybe it was a sign from God that I didn't need to begin a bad habit again as I rocked my head against the wall behind me disappointed. There wasn't even anyone out there to offer me a light.

I got the strangest urge to stomp my foot in frustration, as I thought of what to do.

I considered going back inside to where everyone was refusing to get drunk because they had "missions" or "hospital" or "a clan meeting" the next day so couldn't afford to be hung over. Then I thought of those who _could_ get drunk but didn't want to annoy their other half with getting so blind drunk. Ludicrous.

I rubbed my face irritably, I really needed to get some sleep. I was getting extremely grumpy and curse-y over little things. But that was when my saviour occurred. As my cancer stick still hanging out of my mouth morosely, I saw feet walking towards me and the tell-tale click of a lighter.

"You need a light?" the toneless voice asked and I barely nodded before they brought the flame to my cigarette and I was inhaling the toxic fumes.

I breathed the smoke out through my nose.

I leant my head back against the stone wall, my eyes shut, allowing the sunlight to warm the column of my throat.

"Why is it the bad stuff always feels so good?" I moaned to myself a little smile brightening on my face, bringing up my stick to draw in again.

"I don't know but I hate it," the other voice settled beside me and heard the telling sign of them also smoking through the exaggerated huff of breath out.

I snorted but instead of answering, I opted for another drag. Opening my eyes to inspect my neighbour and instead of some random stranger, there, stood next to me, was Uchiha Sasuke.

My eyes popped wide open, my tired grumpiness forgotten as I just took in his blue and black clad form.

Sasuke was taking another inhalation of the smoke when he caught me staring at him and he returned the gaze, no glares, no bitterness. Nothing.

It made me suspicious.

"What?" he finally asked, turning to lean forward to grab his pint that was sitting on the table in front of us.

Taking advantage of his distraction, I went to sit on the bench in front of him to hide the fact that, in my shock, my legs couldn't hold me.

_This_ was the jackass that Sakura had been cheating on Kakashi with?

But while Sasuke gave an awful, _awful_, first impression, this vulnerable version, the one that didn't glare at you, was actually someone who I could think of sleeping with. The black floppy hair that I could just grab, dark eyes that seem almost fiery in their need to conquer-

I coughed a little as the smoke caught in the back of my throat and I realised that I still hadn't answered his question.

"Just," I faltered, taking another smoke before saying, "never took you for a smoker."

Sasuke smirked, deliberately taking a particularly long drag, as if to prove me wrong.

"It is a bad habit, but when you are _bored out of your mind_ you can be a little more lenient," he said, while toneless, there was some dry humour in it that made me chuckle.

"So, so true," I muttered, eyeing his drink enviously. "It just doesn't help that everyone in there was a couple," I groaned, lowering my face into my arms.

There was a shifting of clothes that indicated that Sasuke had decided to join me sitting at the table.

He agreed by taking another puff. There was no need to answer such a blatant statement.

"And I was hopefully going to get drunk tonight as well," I mumbled into my arms, _just so I can get a decent night's sleep without the nightmares_, I continued to myself darkly in my mind, my cigarette almost entirely forgotten in between my fingers.

"Same," Sasuke's voice came out as a wistful sigh and I curiously peeked through my arms where I propped my face up with a fist.

"What reasons require you to get drunk?"

Instead of answering, he gave me a look that said _why would I tell you?_

But then said:

"I don't do back stories," his voice was cold and unapproachable.

Instead, I rolled my eyes. These dark and silent types sure got annoying after a while. But I held my cigarette in place as I took another lungful of the breathable cancer.

"Whatever, I was just making conversation," I gave the dark haired man a speculative glance out of the corner of my eye. "But maybe since everyone is so preoccupied, do you want to go hit up another place?"

While seemingly random and my earlier dislike for him had dissipated under days of lack of sleep, where they were taking their toll. Reason has no place in a tired brain.

Sasuke just examined me, taking a gulp of his pint.

"Where did you have in mind?" he asked, crushing his cigarette out in the ash tray.

I beamed as I also put my finished cigarette in the bowl.

"Where ever the booze is cheap," I said, bending to pick my bag from the floor.

Sasuke shrugged, not planning on arguing with me, but as I turned, I ran into a familiar chest, where his touch invigorated my recently worn out system. I gasped as I stumbled back into Sasuke, who steadied me with his hands on my shoulders, gently pushing me forward back towards the person who hadn't moved.

Apology on my lips, I looked up into Kakashi's face.

"Hey!" I grinned, sliding the strap of my bag over my shoulder. "I was just coming to look for you to tell you that I'm leaving."

"With him?" while the question was phrased nonchalantly, there was a certain bite to his tone when he said 'him'.

My brow furrowed at the tone. Yeah, Sasuke wasn't his favourite person, but that didn't mean that Kakashi could just judge me for going out with him. After all, if I wanted to throw stones, I had plenty of ammunition.

Not that I was petty. Not at all.

"Yeah," I said, I tried to smooth my frown but both men weren't making it easy with their harsh glares and almost death emanating auras from both of them.

"Maybe that's not a good idea tonight Jenny," Kakashi said, trying to talk louder than Sasuke behind me who had decided to join in with the conversation.

"What's wrong Kakashi? Dipping the fingers in two pies?" Sasuke's cutting remark, dissolving any form of polite exchange.

I winced, both at the uncouth way that Sasuke phrased it, the way Kakashi's face never changed, as if he didn't care about what he said. As if it was like _yeah, we could be cheating on Sakura, we might not._

I wanted to smack my face at the situation but then Sasuke had to go and make it worse.

"You aren't her minder Kakashi, just butt, out," Sasuke enunciated each word perfectly, meaning that I couldn't save the situation by saying that Kakashi, despite his hearing being the most supreme that I had met, heard Sasuke wrong.

This time I really did hit my forehead with a hand. This was getting into more trouble than it was worth. I didn't really need to get drunk now did I?

I could probably just go home with a hot mug of milk and cinnamon and I would lie down in Kakashi's surprisingly comfy mattress and fall asleep.

I let the men continue to fight over my head, increasing a pounding I had beginning in my forehead. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more tempting the thought of going to bed sounded.

When it appeared the men had reached their crescendo as loud as the mild mannered Kakashi could get, I decided to intervene.

"You know what, Sasuke? I'm just really tired now, I might do some other time, if you wanted?" I offered him a smile when he nodded yet not without his face suddenly closing off, aloof.

As I turned back to face my roommate I felt an almost smug aura radiating out of his very pores while he remained expressionless his hand went to guide me back into the pub on my lower back.

An irate emotion overcame me and I smacked away his outstretched hand. I don't know what happened, but one moment I was siding with Kakashi the next I was completely against him.

When I really thought about it, I realised, that while Kakashi may be happy with me being alone amongst the couples, I didn't like it, especially if I had to sit there while all the others around me were so happy. It wasn't exactly fair.

Although, that could just be me being mean again. Man, I hated being exhausted.

"Don't look so smug pervert," I snarled, my hand still outstretched in its frenzy to keep some distance between me and him.

Kakashi just looked down on me, his eye blank yet from the stern holding of his shoulders, I could tell he wasn't pleased.

Seeing this, I tried to measure my tone, soften it.

"I'm sorry, I'm just feeling a little tired, I think I'm just going to go back to the flat," I said while walking past him, trying not to make any contact.

"Jenny," Kakashi said behind me and I don't know why it made me stop.

It wasn't loud or surprising, it wasn't a plea or an order, but I stopped anyway. It was my name from his lips. I _had_ to stop much alike the Earth _had_ to orbit the Sun. Maybe he really did want me to stay?

"We've only just arrived, maybe a couple more minutes," Kakashi said casually, like he couldn't care less about my answer, a comment on the weather, a filler in the silence.

A slump settled on my shoulders, a slight depression hitting me. He was asking out of obligation, nothing more. Nothing less. How stupid am I?

I waved him away weakly. "Right now, I think I should just go to sleep," I gave him a wan smile as if that would show him physically how tired I was.

Kakashi's visible eyebrow lowered.

"I'll walk you-" he began to say but I cut him off bluntly.

"No, that's fine," I said, "I don't want to cause any inconvenience, I can walk home. Alone," I added meaningfully at the end to try and make it obvious that he shouldn't spend any more time with me. That he didn't need to waste anymore false concern for me.

I rubbed my forehead, continuing to walk through the door straight back into the darkened pub to say my goodbyes but finally his gloved hand grabbed my forearm, awakening the cells of the skin that he touched, rushing away any thought of being tired.

I was _awake_.

"Just because he said that comment earlier, doesn't change anything that we've done before," He said lowly to not alert the black haired ninja behind us. "Don't let him make you think you're wrong."

Startled, I gave him a more real smile this time but at the same time uncurling his fingers from their grip on my arm and place it back at his side. My body dulled so I couldn't smell the harsh cigarettes on my breath, that I couldn't smell the sweet spearmint and tea tree on the person in front of me.

I was already yearning for his touch again.

Mentally, I smacked myself silly for such a love sick thought. I knew I was going to catch these couples' disease. It was only a matter of time. But it was okay, I reassured myself, it was only lust right? I nodded indistinctly. Right.

"It's not because of that," I said, despite that it really _was_ the reason why I wanted to go back. "You were the one to tell me that I needed to get some sleep."

"You can sleep later," he said firmer, now realising that I was avoiding something, but unknown to what.

"I-" I hesitated. How far was I going to go just to get out of the situation?

Looking up at his determined face, I knew that he was going to resort to any means possible to get me to stay unless it sounded reasonable.

"It's just, I'm still a little angry with Sakura for not replacing my stuff, so I really don't think I can be around her right now," I lied in a whisper, looking to the side, as if in shame but my little tell was my knuckle going to rub my nose earnestly.

I wasn't really angry enough with the pink haired kunoichi, but I was a bit miffed that she _still_ hadn't replaced my stuff and I thought that there could be enough there to get away with that answer.

Kakashi looked at me shrewdly but his shoulders loosened as unknown tension had left him.

"At least let me walk you-" Kakashi said helplessly while his tone sounded uncaring, I thought maybe, I had actually hurt his feelings or maybe tugged the rug out from under his feet.

I shook my head, before he had finished speaking.

"I-I want the time alone," I said, my hands reaching for long sleeves that weren't by my wrists for me to tug them down.

I winced. Why didn't I think of some other phrase? Stupid, stupid, stupid! I was the one who told him not to leave me alone again so of course he was going to realise something is up.

Kakashi's eyes sharpened as he realised this fact too.

Pulling my hair to curl around my finger I avoided his eyes as I rapidly walked back through the pub and out of the door to walk home in the humid heat where the pressure of the last few minutes had beaded in sweat at the nape of my neck.

I sighed in relief as I walked slowly, scuffing my shoes every now and then.

I glanced around me just looking at the buildings and hearing the trees on the other side of the village rustle, calling to me to go for a run. My feet began to patter on the pavement delicately with my heels before I remembered that I was bone tired.

Slowing down again in disappointment, I vowed I would go the next day.

It was quickly done the walk home as I finally reached the steps leading up to the flat.

I looked up at the craggy steps and I couldn't help but heave a sigh. I wish I didn't have to deal with this as I crawled up the steps on my hands and knees. It was undignified but I was so _tired. _Until I finally reached the top, I collapsed down with my breasts heaving. The exhaustion had finally hit me and it hit me hard.

I forced myself to get to my arms under me which shook from the strain but in the end I fell back down again.

I knew I had to get up. I knew it.

But then I was thinking of how comfy and how _tired_ I was and could use the sleep.

So I felt my limbs go limp as I finally slipped under the suffocating wave of REM.

…o0o…

Kakashi sighed, his hands on his hips as he stood over Jenny's prone body. He knew something was wrong when Jenny wanted to leave early, and said she wanted to be alone. He frowned. He would ask why later.

He sighed, running his hand down his face in resignation. But for now, he had to take the girl back into the flat.

Pushing a hand under her resistant knee caps and shoulders, Kakashi pulled her up to be cradled against his chest. When he felt her mumble out a complaint, he hushed her.

"Come on firefly, there is a bed with your name on it," Kakashi murmured to the basically comatose girl.

Balancing her weight on one knee while he rummaged in his pocket for a key, Jenny started to squirm, little whimpers coming out, her face pinching in distress like the majority of the nightmares of that entire week.

Kakashi tried to withhold his concern as Jenny started to whimper louder. It had been like that for the past few days and even began to affect him when one time she actually screamed her brother's name, Neil, but it didn't sound happy. It sounded despaired, lonely.

Kakashi withheld the need to sigh again as he quickly went through to his bedroom, well _their_ bedroom now and lay Jenny out on the bed, her blue hair fanning out in her twin ponytails, shimming in the dusk light, one from the glow of her skin increasing once under his touch, the other from the decreasing natural light.

Kakashi had to rush because he had said to Sakura that he was in the toilet when actually he was making sure that Jenny got home okay. He just didn't take into account how far the actual distance was when Jenny was dead tired and stumbling drunkenly like she had drunk more than the half pint of watered down beer.

Slipping off her flats, Kakashi then rearranged Jenny's floppy limbs into the comfortable ball she seemed to roll into when she slept and pulled the covers over her shoulders and tucked her in.

Kakashi looked down at his handy work, considering her body in its almost comfortable clothes.

What was she doing with the Uchiha? Why was she smoking with him?

Or better yet, when did she start smoking?

Kakashi shook his head; he needed to get her to quit, extremely bad for the health. How troublesome.

He also knew what Sasuke was up to. Now that Kakashi had Sakura, he wanted to take Jenny away from Kakashi too.

The grey haired man's brow furrowed as he thought that over again. Take Jenny away from him? She didn't belong to him. She had no obligation to go where ever he asked her to.

But the world seemed to narrow when he saw Jenny laughing, her hand supporting her face as she looked alive for once. Something she hadn't for that entire week. Not even around Kakashi.

That was an ugly thought, but then Kakashi got distracted by a blue strand of her hair that had caught on Jenny's pouty lip, barely moving with her soft breaths.

Did that mean that Jenny was prowling for new meat and it just so happened to be Sasuke? Or did she really like him now that he had done something different to change her opinion?

That strand of hair was still there.

Telling himself that the only reason he was combing it away from her face was because it was annoying him. As he did so, he stroked the soft mango smelling hair away from her face to expose the fluttering light that was emanating from her skin and like a moth to a flame, he was caught leaning in.

Just for reassurance sake, he placed his face extra close so he felt each breath being drawn in and exhaled. He smelled the trace of bitter smoke yet it didn't detract from her appeal right then.

His mouth was ever so close to hers and if he just leant in-

Jerking back, Kakashi shook his head to try and rid himself of those thoughts. He had Sakura now. He wouldn't mess that up. In theory.

Looking back down at the Kingfisher feather hair below him, Kakashi felt himself being drawn in again and satisfied his curiosity by pressing his lips to her forehead.

Little did he know that there was a dark body outside the window that had direct line of sight to the bed and to Jenny.

…o0o…

This is probably going to be the last update until the 23rd of January because of my mocks. However, we never know when procrastination might hit and result in an unsuspecting chapter.

Hope you all had a good Christmas and a happy new year!


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